In the 2022 street census, 9.8% of the homeless people who were asked were Métis
On Monday, the Manitoba Métis Federation held a ceremony to celebrate the opening of a 20-unit housing-first project at 670 Main St. by cutting the ribbon.
“It’s not just a place to stay or a roof over your head. It will be very good for the culture, “Will Goodon, who is in charge of housing for the Manitoba Métis Federation, told CBC.
The three-story building next to the Bell Hotel is called Fre Maachi, which in Michif means “fresh starts.”
During the pandemic, people who were homeless in Winnipeg were living in tent cities and other dangerous places, Goodon said.
In the 2022 Winnipeg Street Census, which was done to find out how many people were living on the streets, 9.8% of the people who filled it out said they were Métis.
Goodon said that four of the 20 units are two-bedroom units, which are mostly for women and children who are running away from domestic violence. The other 16 units are studios, and six of them can be reached by people with mobility problems.
“Métis citizens are just like everybody else. They can get into trouble, “he said.
The people who live in the new building will also get “wraparound” support, which includes help with addictions, services to help people find jobs, and guidance from Child and Family Services.
“That is so important when you’re going through the worst time of your life.”
The City of Winnipeg and the MMF worked together on the $3.4 million project. It is one of three new affordable housing projects in Winnipeg that received $12.7 million from the federal government’s rapid housing initiative, Goodon said.
The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. will start the Rapid Housing Initiative in 2021. It is part of the national housing strategy, which is a 10-year plan to spend $72 billion across Canada to make housing better for Canadians.
In the lobby of Fre Maachi is a mural by 52-year-old Métis artist JD Hawk, who was homeless from 2013 to 2018.
“When the MMF told me what this mural was, where it was going, and what the building was used for, that just touched me on a personal level,” Hawk told CBC.
The mural took about 17 hours to finish. It shows a buffalo’s head in front of rifles, a Métis sash, and a Red River cart wheel. Hawk said that the mural gives the Métis people hope and respect.
“I wanted to show my pride and show how strong the Métis people, our culture, and our community are,” she said.
He said that having many kinds of help in one place at Fre Maachi will be a blessing for the people who live there.
“So it’s not just the housing itself, where you go and have a place to stay. Through the different programs, there is also a support system.”
Hawk said that he was able to get back on his feet with the help of his family. He said that the new housing project will be a step toward giving other homeless people the help he didn’t get when he was first homeless.
“Having that kind of support does give you hope, and people need that.”
This is the MMF’s first housing project that will be run by the federation itself. Goodon said that they want to expand their housing plans to places like Brandon and Thompson next.
“There are a lot of homeless people in Winnipeg, but it doesn’t just happen there.”
He said that clients were already moving in. They are moving into the building in stages so that the staff can handle it.
Goodon said that the goal of the project is to help Métis people get back on their feet when they need help.
“I think everyone should try to give someone a hand up when they need it the most.”