Winnipeg housing news: Opaskwayak Cree Nation officially opened La Cour, a 127 home Indigenous led housing project at 366 Marion Street in St. Boniface, on Friday, and every one of its 52 deeply affordable units is already leased.
By Maplestime News Desk | Winnipeg, Manitoba | November 13, 2026
Sources: CBC News | Last updated: November 13, 2026
Key Takeaways
- La Cour is a six storey, 127 home development at 366 Marion Street in St. Boniface, owned by Opaskwayak Cree Nation. It officially opened Friday, November 13, 2026, at a ribbon cutting ceremony.
- 52 units are deeply affordable, with one bedrooms in the $800 range and two bedrooms around $1,000 a month. All 52 deeply affordable units are already leased.
- Market rate one bedrooms start at around $1,500 a month. About 65 per cent of the whole building is leased, according to the building website.
- The project cost about $40 million, with support from all levels of government, including Winnipeg tax increment financing, the federal affordable housing fund, and investment by the First Nation.
- The building also includes a co working area and retail spaces. Residents will soon be settling in, with no exact move in date announced yet.
What La Cour Brings to St. Boniface
The new building rises six storeys at 366 Marion Street, in the heart of St. Boniface, and it is owned by Opaskwayak Cree Nation, whose main community sits about 520 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg near The Pas. The project cost about $40 million. Funding support came from all levels of government, including Winnipeg tax increment financing and the federal affordable housing fund, alongside investment by the First Nation itself. Chief Michael Constant said the development could possibly bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit annually for the community.
La Cour is mixed income housing, not a single rent level for the whole building. Alongside the homes, the building includes a co working area and retail spaces, giving the corner a commercial pulse as well as new residents.
Deeply Affordable Units Already Gone
The most striking number from opening day is how fast the affordable homes went. All 52 deeply affordable units are already leased. One bedrooms in that group rent in the $800 range, and two bedrooms sit around $1,000 a month. Market rate one bedrooms start at around $1,500 a month, according to the building website. About 65 per cent of the entire building is leased.
An Indigenous Led Project Built for Generational Wealth
Chief Michael Constant told journalists after the ribbon cutting that Winnipeg is like a second home for the First Nation, and he framed La Cour as a long term investment in the community future. “We’re just laying the foundation for the next generations,” he said. “We’re championing these kind of projects, and it’s going to move forward in a good way.”
Jennifer Flett, the MLA for The Pas-Kameesak and a member of Opaskwayak Cree Nation, called La Cour a step toward generational wealth, saying the community is looking after itself through good economic development and that she is proud of the chief and council for the achievement.
Jonathon Freed, president of Freedhome Developments, described the project as Indigenous led development in practice, with First Nations taking ownership, leading investment and creating lasting economic and community benefits. He framed it as building generational wealth for the community and taking part in economic reconciliation.
A Bigger Wave of Indigenous Led Housing in Winnipeg
Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham attended the opening and said there is a lot of exciting development underway from Indigenous governments in Winnipeg. “There’s a lot of exciting developments that Indigenous governments have underway in Winnipeg,” he said. He also pointed to a separate $51 million affordable housing development led by Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and to the Southern Chiefs Organization redevelopment of the former Hudson’s Bay building downtown.
What We Still Do Not Know
- No exact move in date has been announced. CBC reports only that residents will soon be settling in.
- The article does not say whether residents must be Opaskwayak Cree Nation citizens or Indigenous, or what the eligibility rules are.
- No full attendance list for the ribbon cutting was published, and no details were given of the other development Chief Constant said the community has in the works.
Maplestime will provide updates from La Cour and Winnipeg housing as announcements are made.
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Do you think Indigenous led projects like La Cour are the fastest way to fix Winnipeg’s housing shortage, or does the city still need far more deeply affordable units? Tell us in the comments. And share this with every Winnipegger following housing in St. Boniface.
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