It’s more than groundbreaking — it’s a ground reclaiming.

Rebecca Chartrand, Manitoba’s only federal cabinet minister, used those words Friday at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Elswood, a seven-storey housing development in Osborne Village.

Located at 269 River Ave., the Winnipeg project is a collaboration between Brokenhead Ojibway Nation and Freedhome Developments Ltd. It is wholly owned by the Manitoba First Nation, located approximately 100 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

“It’s a declaration of Indigenous strength, sovereignty and economic ambition,” said Chartrand, who represents northern Manitoba. “This land will become a hub for opportunity, culture and community, and it’s happening because of the hard work and determination of Brokenhead leadership.”

The Elswood, named for a

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