Métis federation opens Louis Riel College campus

Thirteen years after establishing the Louis Riel College, the Manitoba Métis Federation opened the doors to the school’s first official campus on Wednesday — cutting the ribbon on what it hopes will become a thriving centre for Métis education in Winnipeg.

The campus, which occupies a handful of rooms on the ground floor of the MMF’s building at 200 Main St., primarily offers courses related to health care and Indigenous-focused early childhood education, but will expand its slate of training options, said JoAnne Remillard, the federation’s education minister.

“This new campus represents opportunity, education and a commitment to creating pathways for students to achieve their goals and build successful futures,” she said.

“Everyone is excited about this.”

Following its launch in 2013, Louis Riel College has offered diploma programs through a mix of remote and hybrid learning. They include health-care aid, medical office assistant, early childhood educator, educational assistant, business accountant and employment counsellor.

Each course includes a Métis culture and history component, but the college is open to people of all backgrounds.

The new campus allows the college to have a dedicated, in-person training space that Remillard hopes will one day house all of those programs and more, she said.

“That’s my dream.”

The federation announced it had purchased the seven-storey building, which had belonged to the Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Co., in September 2023. It is now occupied by a variety of MMF staff, offices and programs.

While Wednesday marked the official opening of the college campus, some students began using the building in March, Remillard said.

Gerry Desjardins, a first aid instructor, said his classes typically range from 10 to 18 people and span from a few hours to three weeks of training.

In addition to basic, intermediate and advanced first aid, Desjardins’ courses include introduction to emergency management, basic search and rescue procedures and fire warden training.

“All my training is hands-on and practical,” the instructor said. “If you leave my class and you have to stop at a car crash, you’re not going to panic. You’re going to be in control.”

Some graduates pursue jobs or further education in wildland firefighting, as first responders or in paramedicine, he said.

Manitoba Education Minister Renée Cable, who is Métis, said she hopes the campus becomes a place where her culture is shared and celebrated by all students.

“I am so excited for the injection of sense of self, sense of worthiness and power and connectedness that comes from being in a space that is for us,” Cable said.

The federation is working with the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba to develop an Indigenous-focused practical nursing diploma program to be offered at Louis Riel College.

Earlier this month, MMF president David Chartrand announced the purchase of the former National Research Council property on Ellice Avenue. The laboratory building, which includes more than 70 labs, will be repurposed for nurse training and Métis-led research initiatives, he said at the time.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca