‘Hub for opportunity’: First Nation breaks ground on 7-storey, 147-unit Elswood

It’s more than groundbreaking — it’s a ground reclaiming.

Rebecca Chartrand, Manitoba’s only federal cabinet minister, used those words Friday at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Elswood, a seven-storey housing development in Osborne Village.

Located at 269 River Ave., the Winnipeg project is a collaboration between Brokenhead Ojibway Nation and Freedhome Developments Ltd. It is wholly owned by the Manitoba First Nation, located approximately 100 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

“It’s a declaration of Indigenous strength, sovereignty and economic ambition,” said Chartrand, who represents northern Manitoba. “This land will become a hub for opportunity, culture and community, and it’s happening because of the hard work and determination of Brokenhead leadership.”

The Elswood, named for a street that used to run through the parcel of land on which it is located, is expected to be completed in summer or fall 2027.

The building will feature 147 rental units, including 60 the developers describe as “deeply affordable.” Amenities will include an outdoor riverfront patio, fitness facility and heated parkade. According to the developers, the project exceeds national energy standards in excess of 35 per cent.

The $53-million project is funded and supported by the federal and provincial government, as well as the City of Winnipeg. Leadership from Brokenhead and Freedhome Developments said they couldn’t yet disclose how much each party is contributing, adding an announcement about the funding will be made at a later date.

Brokenhead Chief Gordon BlueSky described the Elswood as an example of economic reconciliation, calling the development “reconciliation you can live in.” Indigenous nations have been underrepresented in the economic life of Winnipeg for too long, he said, adding the Elswood will change that.

“We’re catching up and we’re doing it in a way that lifts our people and also strengthens Winnipeg,” BlueSky said.

Kyra Wilson, grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, noted the development’s spot on the Assiniboine River and its proximity to The Forks, a historically significant place for Indigenous peoples.

“This is close to where the two rivers meet and it’s where we conducted trade (and there was an) intermarriage between the different nations,” Wilson said. “So it’s really nice to see just a reclaiming of land along the river here.”

The project isn’t just about building housing, it’s about building community, said provincial Housing Minister Bernadette Smith.

“We know that too many people, especially Indigenous people, face barriers to housing… So we have a responsibility to change that and that’s exactly what Brokenhead is doing,” Smith said.

Mayor Scott Gillingham called the development exactly what Winnipeg needs.

“Certainly, at the heart of it is the collaboration and the working together of all the governments — federal, provincial, municipal, Indigenous — and other partners as well, (like) the private sector (and) the non-profit sector,” Gillingham said. “All of us coming together to address what is one of our most pressing challenges across the city, and that is the need for housing.”

The relationships that are built between the parties involved are what make the work of building the Elswood meaningful, added Jonathon Freed, president of Freedhome Developments.

“Together, we’re building more than homes,” Freed said. “We’re building a stronger future rooted in community, guided by partnership and filled with opportunity for generations to come.”

The Elswood will include various sizes of one- and two-bedroom units that will be available for $1,400 to $2,200 per month, Freed said. He added the 60 affordable units are one-bedroom apartments that will go for $780 a month.

“We’re feeling very appreciative and happy that Brokenhead is such a good partner,” Freed said. “We’re excited to bring their first multi-family development to the market.”

Brokenhead has 2,300 members, BlueSky said, two-thirds of whom live in Winnipeg. The Elswood will be open to anyone, but he is encouraging members of the First Nation to make their home in the building. “This is just the first of a lot of things coming for Brokenhead and I’m just proud and honoured to be a part of it,” he said.

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca