Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, Assembly of First Nations and The Holmes Group complete the “G’WIIGWAAMNAANIIN”

The Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, Assembly of First Nations
(AFN) and The Holmes Group celebrated on July 11 the completion of the “G’WIIGWAAMNAANIIN” (Building Homes & Building Skills) pilot project for housing and infrastructure. The community now has housing units built to First Nation Sustainable Development Standards (FNSDS) developed as part of the project to create safer, healthier and durable homes and communities for First Nations. Atikameksheng Anishnawbek worked together as a community to ensure their rights, traditions and interests were protected and reflected in the project.
   
“When Atikameksheng Anishnawbek was chosen as the community to host the “G’WIIGWAAMNAANIIN” - Building Homes & Building Skills - pilot project, it was an exciting time and a great opportunity to better our housing standards within our community,” said Atikameksheng Anishnawbek Chief Steve Miller. “At the same time, it presented an opportunity to set an example of how our First Nation can unite and pull our resources together to accomplish an important task that has never been done before. Today, we have accomplished a housing standard through the First Nation Sustainable Housing Development Standards and this document is not only for our community to better our housing standards but can be shared with other communities to access and use as a template towards the development of their own standards. We completed four single-unit complex using these standards and this is a great accomplishment. This four-plex, as we call it, will provide a healthier home, a home that will last longer and one that is more energy efficient.”
   
AFN Manitoba Regional Chief Bill Traverse, who holds the Housing and Infrastructure portfolio for the AFN, thanked ‘Canada’s Most Trusted Contractor’ Mike Holmes and The Holmes Group for partnering with AFN on the project in 2010. “It is truly inspiring to see the vision of the pilot project now become a reality. The development of First Nations Sustainable Development Standards resulting from this project will benefit all First Nations across the country.”

Said Holmes, “This project was about making better choices, doing what makes sense, building smart and teaching the First Nations how to do it, like using products that will not mould and that help keep a home safe and healthy, not to mention the families living in them, too.”

    The First Nations Sustainable Development Standards incorporate green technologies, clean energy and new innovative housing materials. The project will also lead to a “Centre of Excellence” where best practices and lessons learned can be made available to all First Nations.