Building homes, strengthening communities: Lessons from Indigenous-led housing
Rolling green hills and thick forest frame the community hub in Beaver Lake Cree Nation, where a new kindergarten to Grade 12 school is rising beside the health centre and administration building. But the school isn’t the only sign of change – new homes are also helping bring people back to the community.
For Tanis Boucher, the journey home took nearly 30 years. After leaving the reserve as a teenager, she lived across northern Alberta before, two years ago, securing a home in Beaver Lake Cree Nation that was built through Cenovus’s Indigenous Housing Initiative (IHI). The IHI is a program supporting the construction of homes in First Nations and Métis communities near the company’s operating areas in Western Canada.
Today, Tanis lives in her new home with her two children and two grandchildren – one of a growing number of families moving back, in part because there is finally somewhere for them to live. She’s also helping others do the same.
After first securing her new home, Tanis found work as an operations assistant with Beaver Lake Cree Nation, where she now helps review housing applications from families hoping to return.
And as Tanis helps other families access stable housing, Beaver Lake Cree Nation is sharing its experience with neighbouring communities working toward the same goal. Their approach was at the centre of a recent full-day learning session hosted by Cenovus where Elders, council members, housing teams and technical experts from First Nations and Métis communities participating in the IHI came together to share experiences and lessons learned.
The session brought together communities at different stages of the program – Beaver Lake Cree Nation, part of the IHI’s first phase, alongside nations newer to the program, such as Saddle Lake Cree Nation, Whitefish Lake First Nation #128 and Kikino Métis Settlement.
“One of the biggest benefits of the session was the opportunity to collaborate and build relationships with communities that have already gone through the Indigenous Housing Initiative,” said Harold Blyan, chairman of the Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement. “Building those relationships and sharing knowledge creates a stronger network of communities working toward the same goal of bringing more families home.”
Participants spoke candidly about common challenges with building and development, including planning timelines, insurance requirements, infrastructure costs and communication needs. They also highlighted the value of bringing communities together to share practical advice and problem-solve.
For many, that collaboration was the key takeaway.
“We’re here to answer the questions we wish we had answers to,” said Beaver Lake Cree Nation resident Orrin Pruden. “By sharing what we’ve learned, other communities can move faster and avoid the same challenges.”
Orrin, an operations manager and father of seven, has four boys living in the community. He spends his days coordinating housing and creatively stretching resources to support more families and planning for the community’s future. For him, the impact of housing goes beyond physical structures. Stable housing means families are no longer dealing with overcrowding or unsafe conditions, changing how people live, work and raise the next generation in the community.
Those conversations are helping Cenovus and participating communities shape the next phase of the IHI. One focused not only on building houses, but also on strengthening systems, skills and partnerships needed to sustain long-term growth. Along with support through the IHI, communities are also combining provincial and federal funding with their own revenue to move housing projects forward. By investing in construction, infrastructure and site servicing, they are creating the conditions needed for more families to return and build their lives in the community.
In Beaver Lake Cree Nation, that progress is already visible.
Families are coming home and new houses are becoming homes. And with a new school and water treatment plant expected to open in the coming year, the community is preparing for a future shaped by the people coming home.
LAST UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 2026
Cenovus expands Indigenous Housing Initiative, adding new communities and deepening its commitment to reconciliation. Learn more.