Construction and Trades Readiness Program graduates take centre stage

In fall 2022, graduation ceremonies were held in several Indigenous communities in northern Alberta to celebrate students who completed a 24-week Construction and Trades Readiness Program. Geared towards home construction and maintenance training, the program was developed in partnership with Portage College and launched as part of Cenovus Energy’s Indigenous Housing Initiative.
 
See highlights from the graduation ceremonies and hear from some of the students in our latest video.

Our Indigenous Housing Initiative is changing lives, one home at a time

The Cenovus Indigenous Housing Initiative was launched in January 2020 after listening to Indigenous communities share their concerns about housing in their communities. 

The $50 million initiative is the largest social investment in Cenovus history and involves building about 200 new homes over the duration of the program in the six First Nations and Métis communities closest to our Foster Creek and Christina Lake oil sands operations:

• Beaver Lake Cree Nation
• Chard Métis 
• Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation
• Cold Lake First Nations
• Conklin Métis (Local 193)
• Heart Lake First Nation

More than 80 new homes are already completed or under construction and many more are on the way.

Meaningful recognition

Cenovus’s contributions to the Indigenous Housing Initiative were recognized with an award from Tribal Chiefs Employment and Training Services Association and IndigiConnect during their 2022 Partner and Recognition Gala. The annual event honours partners working together to train and employee Indigenous Peoples. 

Troy Peterson, Senior Indigenous Housing Initiative Specialist with the award
Troy Peterson, Senior Indigenous Housing Initiative Specialist. 

LAST UPDATED: DECEMBER 2022

Indigenous Housing Initiative

Find out more about the launch of our $50 million Indigenous Housing Initiative.

Changing lives, one house at a time
Find out how our $50 million Indigenous Housing Initiative is addressing one of the biggest problems facing Indigenous Communities today – a chronic shortage of adequate housing.
Taking Indigenous engagement at site to the next level
We've worked with Thomas Kanata to erect a tipi at our Christina Lake site for people to practice daily smudging practices. Read more.
Indigenous reconciliation

Learn about our approach to Indigenous reconciliation.

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