The Policy of State as a Social Determinant of Health

This chapter provides a Canadian definition of Indigenous homelessness, describes how state policies exacerbate Indigenous homeless trends, and discusses self-determination’s potential role in fostering systems innovations to combat Indigenous homelessness. Embracing systems innovation through Indigenous self-determination is a timely strategy that holds the potential to improve Indigenous homelessness programming currently reliant on outdated ideas that lead to and perpetuate homelessness. Reminding all of Canada’s obligation to establish progressive and inclusive programming and policies, this chapter identifies pathways for change that will require Canada and its provincial partners to address routinely discounted structural and procedural inequities.