The Central Urban Metis Federation has received the 2021 Global Innovation Award for Home of the Year for the Round Prairie Elders’ Lodge building in Saskatoon.

The award was presented at the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders’ Show. The NAHB is the American national home builder’s association.

The building is built to Net Zero Ready standards, and was created using factory-based modular techniques. Those techniques were described in a news release as a building system that reduces waste and has improved quality, schedule certainty, cost predictability, and safety performance compared to stick-built construction. The Lodge is an infill development in Pleasant Hill which CUMFI views as part of the revitalization of the area.

The building was designed by Métis architect David T. Fortin, and Elders played an integral role in providing the concepts incorporated into the building including a spiritual room and gathering spaces, and making all of the suites universally accessible.

Big Block Construction provided project development, financing, and construction services for the Round Prairie Elders’ Lodge development. Partners on the project include modular builder Grandeur Housing, based out of Winkler, Manitoba and and David T Fortin Architect, based out of Sudbury, Ontario.

It’s the first time a project from Saskatchewan has won an NAHB award. Big Block VP of Community Development Nick Sackville says, “It’s a very prestigious award and we are deeply grateful for all of the partners who made this project a success.”

Five different funding bodies helped make the project a reality: Indigenous Services Canada -Indigenous Homes Innovation Initiative, Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation National Housing Co-Investment Fund, Saskatchewan Housing Corporation- Saskatchewan Co-Investment Program, and City of Saskatoon Affordable Housing Capital Grant Program.