Serpent River First Nation celebrates new housing project
October 23, 2025
By Leslie Knibbs
SERPENT RIVER FIRST NATION – Serpent River First Nation (SRFN) celebrated the completion of a newly constructed five-plex housing unit in Cutler, Ont., with a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony held on October 9.
“The completion of these housing units represents a meaningful investment in the future of our members,” said Serpent River First Nation Chief Wilma‑Lee Johnston. “We are proud to see this project come to life and to continue creating opportunities for growth and well-being within our community.”
SRFN’s long-term community development strategy is committed to providing for the housing needs of community members. Not unlike other First Nations, SRFN has put housing on its ‘to-do list’ when looking at community development projects. The five-plex is another milestone in SRFN’s continuous ongoing efforts to provide new housing for community members both on and off-reserve.
Earlier this year, SRFN Councillors Steve Meawasige and Shirley McLeod, along with Chief Wilma-Lee Johnston and Elliot Lake Mayor Andrew Wannan, held a ground-breaking ceremony for a new 22-unit SRFN townhouse development in Elliot Lake on Aug. 25. These developments are significant achievements in alleviating the housing shortage.
Community members attended the ceremony and were invited to tour the units. Each of the one-bedroom units is self-contained with up-to-date appliances, heating, and cooling, as well as a central vacuum system. The rental units are available to members who qualify and are on the housing list. All of the units are for single occupancy, with one being designated fully accessible for a person with a disability. In addition to the five-plex recently finished on Sulphur Circle, another is being completed on Village Road East in the community.
Statistics show that First Nations people are over-represented among the Canadian homeless population, according to the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). The AFN estimates Indigenous people are 23 times more likely to experience homelessness compared to non-Indigenous people. The AFN goes on to state that the cost of building and renovating high-quality housing in First Nations is around $60 B within five years.
Housing projects, such as the recent one in SRFN, are funded in part by Indigenous Services Canada, as well as the federal initiative ‘Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI)’. This initiative was introduced in 2020 and is administered by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). As of today, the initiative is in its third round, and, as in past years, has exceeded its initial target of creating new affordable housing units. It is estimated that 5, 200 new units will be built in Canada.
In November 2024, the federal government committed to providing $262.2 million to help build 691 new homes in Indigenous and Northern Ontario communities. With all funds committed from RHI in March of last year, the objective was to create affordable housing for populations and people who are vulnerable, including 25 per cent of total investments going to women-focused affordable housing.
During the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, Chief Johnston was accompanied by Jack Trudeau in speaking to those gathered. Chief Johnston went from unit to unit, smudging the properties.
The building contractor, Jason Wilcox from Wilcox Contracting, was present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Wilcox, along with his construction crew, recently completed another project in SRFN to provide shaded canopies for the SRFN Pow Wow grounds. Wilcox completed that project within a week of receiving the order, just in time for the 2025 SRFN Pow Wow.