Supporting Enoch Cree Nation's long-term housing strategy and community growth

Disponible en français                                                                                                      October 30, 2026

• Supporting housing-enabling infrastructure on Enoch Cree Nation (ECN) reserve lands
• Homes will be leased exclusively to ECN members at affordable rates
• Approximately 166 new residential units planned
• Enabling employment opportunities for community members during construction

EDMONTON, AB, Oct. 30, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) has reached financial close on a $30 million loan towards enabling infrastructure for critical housing development on ECN reserve lands, near Edmonton. The project will address exponential housing pressures within the community, allowing ECN members to return to the community while supporting long-term growth on reserve.

The CIB's loan will help service the land for development, including roads, water and wastewater systems, utilities, site preparation and solar panel installations.

The development prepares land for approximately 166 new residential units, helping to address a housing wait list of approximately 350 families. Homes will be leased exclusively to ECN members at affordable rates and designed to accommodate larger, multigenerational households, as well as smaller units for Elders.

The CIB's affordable, long-term financing closes a critical infrastructure financing gap and accelerates the delivery of infrastructure needed to support housing growth on reserve.

The First Nations Finance Authority (FNFA) is a funding provider to the broader housing development, complementing the CIB's investment in enabling infrastructure and helping advance ECN's long-term housing objectives.

This investment is part of the CIB's Indigenous Community lending activities and represents its largest investment to date in an Indigenous housing project, advancing the CIB's goal of investing at least $3 billion in Indigenous infrastructure.

Endorsements

This investment builds on our growing partnership with Enoch Cree Nation and supports the Nation's long-term vision for housing, infrastructure and economic development. By financing the enabling infrastructure needed for new homes, we are helping address housing pressures, support community growth and create the conditions for future generations to thrive on reserve.
Ehren Cory, CEO, Canada Infrastructure Bank

We're partnering with Enoch Cree Nation to build infrastructure that supports safe, affordable housing, and long-term growth. Projects like this one create jobs, strengthen local economies, and ensure that families have a safe place to call home. Together, we are building stronger, more resilient communities for generations to come.
Hon. Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada

For Enoch Cree Nation, housing is about more than having a place to live. It is about keeping families connected to their community, culture and each other. As a Nation, we have a responsibility to take action and create a better quality of life for our people. This investment will help us bring more of our people home, strengthen our community and create a place where our children, families and Elders can thrive for generations to come.
okimaw (Chief) Cody Thomas, Enoch Cree Nation

This investment is about building the foundation for Enoch Cree Nation's future. By putting the infrastructure in place for the Nation's largest housing development, we are supporting community growth, creating economic opportunities and building long-term capacity for the Nation, our members, and its business ventures.
Chase Morin, CEO, River Cree Ventures

Enoch Cree Nation is demonstrating what true self-determination looks like in action. By leveraging and reinvesting its own-source revenues, the Nation is creating more than housing, they are building the foundation for long-term economic self-sufficiency, community prosperity, and generational wealth. FNFA is proud to be Enoch Cree Nation's long-standing lender of choice, providing access to affordable capital that supports Nation-building projects and advances the vision of economic independence and self-governance.
Ernie Daniels, President and CEO, First Nations Finance Authority

SOURCE Canada Infrastructure Bank