b'A+ FOR PLANNINGNorthern obstacles a tough testfor the Manitoba School InitiativeBy Matthew BradfordDevelopment is underway on four schools within remoteOPENING DOORSFirst Nations communities in Manitobas northern region.The MSI project began in 2015 when the Government The project is part of Indigenous Services Canadasof Canada inked a contract with the four First Nations to Manitoba School Initiative (MSI), which aims to introducedesign, construct and renovate new schools within their new on-reserve K-12 educational facilities for Bunibonibeeboundaries. Three years later, on November 5, 2018, Cree Nation (Oxford House), Gods Lake First Nation, MantoPenn-Co received the contract to construct the four Sipi Cree Nation and Wasagamack First Nation by 2020. Iton-reserve school facilities and renovate an existing facility also represents one of the departments most significantwithin Bunibonibee Cree Nation.investments to date.The availability of adequate schools and education has The Manitoba School Initiative is an example ofhistorically been a challenge for Indigenous Peoples, and reconciliation through innovation, says William Olscamp, athe United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous spokesperson with Indigenous Services Canada. The fourPeoples (UNDRIP) Article 14 recognizes Indigenous Peoples communities involved in this school bundling initiative workright to education, says Michael Chee, a spokesman with AECOM, which is serving as project manager for the with the project managers and designers and are involvedambitious initiative. Providing and creating education in all stages of development to create schools that are builtinfrastructure supports this right, and AECOM is proud to be with communities, for communities. involved in making this happen.Gods Lake First NationPhoto credit: Penn-co Construction Canada (2003) Ltd.44 BUILD MANITOBAwinnipegconstruction.ca'