Government of Canada congratulates Malahat Nation on grand re-opening of the Malahat longhouse

From: Indigenous Services Canada

News release

September 8, 2018 — Mill Bay, BC — Indigenous Services Canada

The Government of Canada is committed to working with First Nations to build reliable infrastructure that will transform communities and improve the quality of life for members.

Today, the Honourable Jane Philpott, Minister of Indigenous Services, offered her congratulations to Malahat Nation on the restoration and expansion of the Malahat longhouse.

Built in the 1970s, the Malahat longhouse was a place for people to gather for weddings, funerals, potlatches and other community events. In 2017, the community embarked on a restoration project with support from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC).

Malahat Nation members worked to design and construct the building and harvest the timber from community lands. The longhouse blends traditional and new materials while drawing on the rich history of Coast Salish architecture.

ISC invested $1.1 million in this project.

Quotes

“Congratulations to Malahat Nation on the inauguration of their longhouse, which will serve as a warm and meaningful place for the community to come together for generations to come. Our government was proud to partner with you on this journey to restore the longhouse to its former glory."

The Honourable Jane Philpott, M.D., P.C., M.P.
Minister of Indigenous Services

Quick facts

  • Malahat Nation is located on southeastern Vancouver Island, about a 45-minute drive from Victoria, British Columbia.

  • The Nation has a population of approximately 345, with about 130 members living on reserve.

  • The longhouse was built using a combination of fir and cedar with a striking copper-coloured roof to complement the wooden structure.

  • Budget 2016 made historic investments of $4.4 billion to support infrastructure in First Nations communities, including $76.9 million to support 211 cultural and recreational projects on reserves across the country.

Associated links

Contacts

Rachel Rappaport
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jane Philpott
Minister of Indigenous Services
819-934-2796

Indigenous Services Canada Media Relations
819-953-1160
SAC.media.ISC@canada.ca


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