St. Boniface residential development La Cour opens doors

The ribbon has been cut and tenants are starting to move into a new six-storey residential development in St. Boniface.

Representatives from Opaskwayak Cree Nation and Freedhome Developments Ltd. gathered with supporters on Friday to celebrate the grand opening of La Cour. Located at 366 Marion St., the development includes 127 housing units, 52 of which are labelled “deeply affordable.”

La Cour is wholly owned by OCN, a Manitoba First Nation located near The Pas. It’s the second apartment OCN has opened in Winnipeg in the last 16 months, following the July 2025 grand opening of a seven-storey, 69-unit building at 380 Young St.

“Thank you to everybody for … walking with us, as Opaskwayak, into the future when it comes to business, because business speaks volumes,” said OCN Chief Michael Constant. “(We’re) filling this place with just the people who need a residence to call home, and this is why we’re here.”

Once La Cour is fully occupied, it’s expected to generate $150,000 to $350,000 in net revenue each year for the Manitoba First Nation, Constant told reporters.

The mixed-use development includes ground-level townhomes, a lobby lounge with co-working space, a heated parkade and 1,800 square feet of streetfront commercial space.

During his remarks, Mayor Scott Gillingham noted the ongoing alignment between the City of Winnipeg, provincial government, federal government and Indigenous governments when it comes to creating more housing in Manitoba’s capital.

“Our work is to work for the people that we are elected to represent,” Gillingham said. “Our work is to collaborate so that their lives are better, so that housing is available where it wasn’t available before — where First Nations have economic opportunity not just on the sidelines, but… in the heart and centre of what is happening.”

The “deeply affordable” one- and two-bedroom units will cost $839 and $1,000 per month, respectively, which is less than 70 per cent of median market value, said Jonathon Freed, president at Freedhome Developments.

He added 70 per cent of the building is already leased and tenants started moving in last week. Workers are finishing construction on the top two storeys.

“La Cour represents what can be achieved through trust, collaboration and a shared commitment to creating something meaningful,” Freed said.

Later, he told a reporter he expects the building to be completed under its projected $38.5-million budget.

The federal government is contributing more than $35 million to the project, the City of Winnipeg is contributing $3.9 million via its tax-increment financing policy and the province is contributing more than $375,000 via Efficiency Manitoba. OCN is paying for the remainder.

The First Nation has plans to build a third residential development, this one in the Bridgwater neighbourhood of Winnipeg, in the next few years.

aaron.epp@winnipegfreepress.com