Sarnia Friendship Centre opens first friendship centre Aboriginal housing initiative in Ontario

By Greg Plain

SARNIA—The Sarnia Lambton Native Friendship Centre (SLNFC) opened the first Urban Aboriginal Housing Apartments operating in their building/onsite.

President Eddie Hanna was on hand to welcome and thank the Board of Directors of Past and Present for bringing this opportunity to life and having the ability and foresight to bring such a great initiative to the Urban Aboriginal Community of Sarnia Lambton.

“This was a vision that founding Board member Stephen Plain had to help urban Aboriginal people with housing in the city,” stated Hanna.

The SLNFC now has three one-bedroom apartments, and one two-bedroom apartment that will be geared to income individuals and families into their complex that will not only house people, but bring the community closer to its various programs and services to allow people a place to congregate as well as build their self-reliant activities.

The apartment complex is called “Jinag Endaayaang” which in Ojibwe means “Where we live for a little while”. Elder Pauline Williams from Aamjiwnaang First Nation won the naming contest and was onsite at the centre to welcome the group of 25 people to the opening of the new centre, as well as send a blessing in Ojibwe for the Centre and the people that it will house in the very near future.

President Eddie Hanna spoke on the beginning thoughts of housing.

“Aboriginal people will be close to the services that they require while they are away from their home communities and camaraderie of fellow Anishinaabe people from across the region,” noted Hanna.

“The project was brought together by the Urban Aboriginal community and will service the people that brought the project together,” stated Executive Director Liz Plain. “We are so happy to have the ability to help out community members from across the area.”

SLNFC is now accepting applications for the four apartments.