Ke Mama Nnanik

Project Overview

About This Project

The 24-unit mixed-use Indigenous affordable housing development in Erin Woods features one level of underground parking as per City of Calgary requirements, and a rooftop with cultural space for tenants. The main street level will offer community supports and human service programming through the Native Network Family Resource Centre, including on-site childcare and broader community services that will provide safe, culturally appropriate homes for Indigenous families in Calgary.

Designed as a mixed-use development, the project will create individualized, nurtured living environments that support families in achieving long-term stability. This is reflected in the identified need for 3-bedroom units with a lock-off suite for 4-bedroom units, suitable for intergenerational living circumstances.

This project specifically addresses urban Indigenous families' needs in Calgary, particularly those experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, or living in unsafe or overcrowded conditions. Many Indigenous households in the city struggle to find affordable, appropriate housing that accommodates larger families, resulting in instability, poor health outcomes, and continued cycles of housing precarity.

The project targets the current housing crisis faced by urban Indigenous families by providing appropriately sized, culturally grounded homes with wrap-around support services available to tenants and the community. The on-site programming and rooftop cultural space will ensure that families secure stable housing and continue to gain the skills, resources, and cultural connections necessary for long-term success. This model effectively addresses social isolation, improves social cohesion, and increases access to in-service and natural supports. The on-site main floor family resource centre provides a value-added support matrix which complements the socioeconomics and social determinants of the target residents and housing sector.

This build falls under Métis Calgary Family Services' current housing spectrum for urban Indigenous peoples, guided by The SAGE Approach — Sacred Approach to Greater Efficacy. Residents are identified through MCFS's existing client referral network, ensuring homes reach those who need them most. The SAGE framework ensures that housing delivery moves beyond crisis response, wrapping authentic, secure shelter around unique service models in a nurtured residential acquisition environment.