Designed by Urban Indigenous Communities: Presenting the Urban Indigenous Pathways to Housing Model

Press Release

June 19, 2025

Introducing OUR Housing Journey – a powerful visual story shaped by urban Indigenous communities’ direct input from across the province.

The OUR Housing Journey graphic illustrates the diverse housing types found in urban settings, connected by the services, supports, and investments that make movement between them possible. Its circular design challenges the assumption of a fixed, linear housing continuum, reflecting instead the real and complex experiences of Indigenous people in urban areas.

Key features of the graphic:

• Informed by the lived experience of urban Indigenous community members across the province.
• A circular model illustrating that there is no one straight path in a housing journey, and the life cycle and broader socio-economic environment that shapes experiences over time.
• Red webbing that represents interconnected supports, services, and investments required to move between different housing types.
• Diverse, non-linear housing types reflective of urban Indigenous realities.
• Cultural symbols that highlight the importance of wrap-around, Indigenous-led services for housing stability.

This visual has been praised by both community members and service providers as an effective educational and planning tool. It holds power in giving voice to the multiplicity of housing journeys that urban Indigenous people experience. And it is designed to support Indigenous people in navigating their own housing journeys and offering valuable insight for those working in the housing and homelessness sector.

The launch of this graphic is just the beginning. The OUR Housing Journey model is part of our larger 2025 OUR Framework report, a community-driven policy report launching in the coming months. It represents a major step toward rethinking approaches to urban Indigenous housing, key priorities, and the incredible housing solutions Indigenous-led organizations are already advancing.

Download the OUR Housing Journey one-pager here!
Stay connected for the full launch of the OUR Framework with our Pathways to Housing newsletter!

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