The Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation (RRAFN) recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Ginew Wellness Centre (GWC).
On Monday, local officials and residents gathered to celebrate the Jordan's Principle expansion of the GWC.
"The expansion of the GWC will greatly assist the RRAFN in providing for the needs of our Tribal Members and their families," Chief Craig Alexander said in a statement. "Jordan's Principle represents an important milestone along the road of developing systems that effectively respond to the challenges faced by our First Nation's children and youth."
People in attendance included representatives from Manitoba Education, Southern Health-Santé Sud, Ginew School, Roseau Valley School, Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council, Dakota Ojibway Police Services, Dakota Ojibway Child & Family Services, and Jordan's Principal staff.
Roseau River's centre is expanding under Jordan's Principle Initiative, explained Executive Director Guy Gosselin.
"Jordan was a child that needed special services and it became a jurisdictional issue where the federal and provincial and the regional health authorities were trying to decide who would pay for the services that Jordan needed, and Jordan ended up dying in hospital without receiving any of the services that he needed to be able to live in the community."
"So this went up to the federal Human Rights Tribunal and they made a decision that these services needed to be offered on reserves or wherever they are needed," he added.
The centre is used by the entire community for a multitude of services including prenatal care, maternal and child health, primary care, medical transportation and water quality services.
"The Ginew Wellness Centre, I'd like to say, is kind of the hub of the community," said Gosselin.
The centre also offers telehealth services, head start programs, and mental health services.
Three rooms will be added to help children between the ages of zero and 21, helping them with speech, motor development and more, depending on their individual needs.
The expansion is funded through Health Canada, Jordan's Principle and surpluses from the Ginew Wellness Centre.
"Chief and Council are putting in $50,000 towards the project, and the Ginew Wellness Centre's own source revenue will be putting in about $300,000 and then the other will come from Jordan's Principle funding that we're receiving," said Gosselin.
The expansion will be 38ft by 40ft, on the south end of the building. Gosselin predicts the expansion will be completed in April of next year.
Regent Construction won the bid for the project at $530,000.
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