Clan Mothers transitional housing plan a no-brainer

A plot of land on Maple Street could one day provide “transformational” housing and job opportunities for vulnerable Winnipeggers.

Clan Mothers Healing Village hopes to take over a new site with a vision to provide transitional housing, alongside other services and opportunities, which would serve unsheltered Indigenous women, girls and LGBTTQ+ people at 48 Maple St.

“In this particular community (in) downtown here, there is a need to protect women. Our desire is to have transformational housing. Our desire is to have a safer place for Indigenous women, two-spirit and trans folks in this area,” said Jamie Goulet, a co-founder of the organization.

While the group does not yet know how much its proposal would cost or how many housing units it would provide, Goulet said the services would primarily be geared to assist unsheltered Indigenous women, who may also be dealing with addictions and/or be targeted for exploitation and trafficking.

There’s a clear need to place more support services downtown and this site, which is located alongside Clan Mothers’ current Winnipeg office, is suited to address that need, she said.

“I think it’s a no-brainer that this area is in desperate need of protecting Indigenous women, two-spirit and trans folks,” she said.

The group also hopes to add a significant social enterprise element to the future project, which would create jobs for those it aims to help, as well as provide training and education, Goulet said.

“Right now, to us, it just seems a completely natural fit to all the values that we have… that we would have a place in the city where we could help.”

After hosting ceremonies at 48 Maple St. and caring for it, Goulet said it makes sense for Clan Mothers to try to acquire the land from the city.

While many details have yet to be determined, a concrete step related to the land needed for the project could be taken soon. Winnipeg council’s property and development committee is set to vote on a call to have city staff study the idea of declaring the city land at 48 Maple St. surplus and selling it to Clan Mothers Healing Village for $1.

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Coun. Sherri Rollins, committee chairwoman, said she is interested in learning more about the proposal and expects to support the motion to direct the public service to report on it.

“We’re interested in really looking collectively at how to get more transitional housing for Indigenous women and (LGBTTQ+) people. To see if we can collectively get something through council that just opens this door. We know that this is a core housing need, transitional housing with these wrap-around supports,” said Rollins.

If the property and development committee approves the motion at its Feb. 2 meeting, a report would be expected in March.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Joyanne loves to tell the stories of this city, especially when politics is involved. Joyanne became the city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press in early 2020.

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