By Trevor Greyeyes
Construction is taking shape on Endayaan Omaa, the first housing project at the Naawi-Oodena urban reserve development in Winnipeg.
Peguis First Nation is one of the seven Treaty One Nations leading the redevelopment of the former Kapyong Barracks lands along Taylor Avenue.
Announced in March, the $91-million apartment project will create 260 homes, including 109 units offered at below-market rents. Endayaan Omaa means “home is here” in Anishinaabemowin.
A recent photograph of the site shows several storeys of the building now standing, with exterior walls and window openings visible as construction continues. Completion is expected in 2028.
Brokenhead Ojibway Nation Chief Gordon BlueSky said the development reflects both the challenges Treaty One Nations have overcome and their long-term vision for the land. He also noted that most of the workers employed at the construction site are Indigenous, with the workforce currently tracking at roughly 60% participation.
While formal applications will open closer to the 2028 move-in window, Treaty One and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) have established the framework for the 109 affordable units.
The homes will be open to the broader community, with a primary emphasis on housing for students and families with moderate and median incomes. Rents are projected to sit 10% to 20% below southwest Winnipeg's typical market rates.
Based on current local averages, targets are estimated to sit around:
- $1,050 to $1,150 for one-bedroom units
- and $1,300 to $1,400 for two-bedroom units.
The Kapyong Barracks closed in 2004. Following a lengthy legal battle with the federal government, the lands were formally converted into Canada’s largest urban reserve in 2022.
Endayaan Omaa is part of a much larger plan for Naawi-Oodena, which is expected to eventually include approximately 5,000 homes as well as commercial, cultural and community spaces.