Temporarily housing the homeless in Northern Indigenous communities: a case of the Tłıchǫ region

Commissioned by the Tłı̨chǫ Government in the Northwest Territories (NWT), this study proposes a model for delivering temporary shelter for people experiencing homelessness in remote Indigenous communities in Canada. Drawing on a literature review, interviews with government officials and frontline service providers, and site visits across the NWT, it outlines approaches grounded in regional realities. Inspired by Inuvik’s housing approach, the study advances a locally adapted housing continuum that leverages existing infrastructure and community actors. Central to the model are warming and transitional shelters, supported by a drop-in centre and wrap-around services as key components of an abridged continuum.