Indigenous Housing Initiative
Access to safe, adequate housing remains one of the most urgent challenges facing Indigenous communities across Canada. After listening to community members and understanding their priorities, we developed our Indigenous Housing Initiative – the largest community investment in our company’s history.
Originally launched in 2020 with a five-year commitment, the program supported the construction of nearly 200 homes in six First Nations and Métis communities near our oil sands operations in northeast Alberta: Beaver Lake Cree Nation, Chard Métis, Chipewyan Prairie First Nation, Cold Lake First Nations, Conklin Métis and Heart Lake First Nation.
As these homes near completion, we’re expanding the program through an ongoing investment of up to $8 million per year. This sustained funding will allow us to continue addressing housing shortages by supporting new communities and ensuring responsiveness to evolving needs and priorities.
Starting in 2026, three new communities Cenovus works with at its Christina Lake operation will join the initiative:
- Saddle Lake Cree Nation
- Kikino Métis Settlement
- Whitefish Lake First Nation #128
Given how significant the need is, communities will now participate in the program on two-year intervals. This will help build houses in more communities, while still allowing us to maintain deep engagement with each community.
Learn more about our Student and New Grad Programs.
To hear firsthand about the need for this initiative and its lasting impact, we invite you to listen to reflections from the First Nations leaders at the time of the program launch who helped shape its vision.