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The federal government and Treaty One Nations have announced a $91-million apartment building that will bring 260 new homes to the Naawi-Oodena development in Winnipeg.
The project is called Endayaan Omaa, meaning "home is here" in Anishinaabemowin. Of the 260 units, 109 will be offered at below-market rents, according to a Wednesday news release from the federal government and Treaty One Nations, a group of seven First Nations in Manitoba that is leading the Naawi-Oodena development on the former Kapyong Barracks lands.
Units will be open to the broader community, with a focus on students and families.
Winnipeg South member of Parliament Ben Carr said the project reflects what can happen when different levels of government work together with First Nations.
"And here today we've got proof of what can happen when you have the vision, the will, the determination, the tenacity of First Peoples … but also the partnership of levels of government," Carr said during a Wednesday news conference at the Naawi-Oodena site.
Construction is already underway, with completion expected in 2028.
Endayaan Omaa is the first housing project being built on the former Kapyong lands along Taylor Avenue. The barracks closed in 2004, when the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry was moved to Canadian Forces Base Shilo, near Brandon, Man.
After a legal battle between First Nations and the federal government, the land was officially converted into Canada's largest urban reserve in 2022.
Endayaan Omaa, the first housing project at Naawi-Oodena, will be completed in 2028. (Treaty One Development Corporation)The Endayaan Omaa development is being led by Treaty One Nations and is part of a larger plan for Naawi-Oodena, which is expected to eventually include about 5,000 homes.
Chief Gordon BlueSky of Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, which is part of Treaty One Nations, said the project carries deeper meaning tied to that long-term vision.
"When we talk about ‘home is here,' we talk about the work that we've done in the past, and the trials and tribulations that we've had to overcome," BlueSky said.
He also pointed to the workers on site, noting the majority are Indigenous — a key goal of the project.
Federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson said the project is part of a larger push to build more homes across the country, after years of falling behind demand.
"We cannot build enough as a country," Robertson said at Wednesday's news conference. "It's been decades of not building enough housing."
He also highlighted the scale of development planned for the area, calling Naawi-Oodena "a shining example of the kind of ambition that's going to help us build communities."
WATCH | $91M housing development coming to Naawi-Oodena site:A $91-million development at Naawi-Oodena will add 260 homes as part of a larger plan to build thousands of units on the former military lands.Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said the project comes at a time when the city is already seeing strong growth in home construction, but still needs more supply.
"Today's announcement is a critical step in meeting the urgent need for more housing in our city," Gillingham said.
He added the development is part of a transformation of the site, describing it as "one of the largest, if not the largest, infill projects in Winnipeg's history."
Gillingham said major infrastructure upgrades will be needed to support the development, pointing to the long-discussed widening of Kenaston Boulevard.
He said expanding that route, and related sewer work, is critical not just to handle increased traffic from projects like Naawi-Oodena, but also to support future growth and enable key sewer upgrades tied to protecting Lake Winnipeg.