Long Plain First Nation is having somewhat of a housing boom. That's from Chief Dennis Meeches yesterday as the First Nations Market Housing Fund with its national board came to the reserve for two days. Today they'll tour the urban reserve.

"A while back we accessed $5,750,000, "explains Meeches. "This fall we're close to sod-turning on the first of this home ownership program. They're having their national meetings today (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday). We're excited to work in partnership with them. This year We have a number of housing projects on the go and they're all different. This year we have three CMHC mini Homes project being built at the arena in Long Plain First Nation. I think we'll be the first community. As far as I know, there are two communities in the province, but I think Long Plain will be the first community to actually build under the First Nations Market Housing Fund."

Meeches says it's a great way to adjust the shortage of housing.

"There's a huge demand for indigenous housing," Meeches continues. "We have a very difficult time to meet that demand. We don't have the capacity to build homes under the band capital program or CMHC. But we also recognize that housing programming needs to change in indigenous communities. There has to be a better way to do this. It's unfortunate the way we're set up as First Nations through the reserve system and through the inherent challenges associated with that. But Long Plain is looking at different ways to address that, and innovative ways just to try and make it similar to what's happening with mainstream Canada. We really need to follow a model of governance. And we recently passed our Land Code Vote. That'll actually help facilitate the development of our lands without INAC jurisdiction or involvement. So, that'll also drive our economic development, housing developments and a lot of our projects. That's a good thing for Long Plain."

He explains Land Code is basically being under head lease, one of the different INAC land designations. "For example," Meeches explains, "this land, Keshkeemaquah, is under a head lease. Our own land management code allows Long Plain First Nation to have our own jurisdiction over our lands. Basically, it removes INAC from any oversight or the rules and regulations that relate to land and houses developed on First Nations. For me, that's an important step in gaining jurisdiction."

John Beaucage is chair of the First Nation Market Housing Fund and is in the community this week. He explains, "We have a board of trustees from the fund who are from all over Canada. Once a year in August we meet in a First Nation somewhere in Canada. Last year it was in the Maritimes. We've met at Membertou First Nation, the year before that we met in the Yukon up near Whitehorse, and this year it's in Long Plain. We like going to the different communities where some of our backing of housing loans are taking place. And Long Plain is a wonderful example here in Manitoba on making use of different options to obtain housing for their community members."

Beaucage says he feels a lot of people are excited about the progress made in housing opportunities for First Nations people.

He adds, "The First Nation Market Housing Fund is a fund that was started with the federal government about eight years ago. We're growing year to year. Right now we have 230 communities that have signed up wanting to be a part of Market Housing. We've approved over $950,000,000 of Loan Guarantees across the country. And we have more than 200 houses on the ground this year that are starting to be built and a lot more, and it's happening here in Long Plain."

Among the events during their visit, Beaucage says, "There's going to be a feast and a pow-wow, and we just had a tour of the reserve. It's a wonderful place. I used to live in Saskatchewan for a while. Now I live in Ontario. But when you're in the prairies you come back home. It's a great thing. All of our trustees are having a wonderful time and the hospitality here is fantastic."