Grande Prairie transfers land to Métis Local 1990
After nearly a year since formally asking, Métis Local 1990 will receive the land for its Elder Caring Centre in Grande Prairie.
City council approved the land transfer to Métis Local 1990 during its regular council meeting June 17.
“We're just incredibly happy,” said Métis Local 1990 president Shannon Dunfield.
“It feels like there's just this; it's not a weight, but this sense of accomplishment, relief, and gratitude to the city for taking a step and trusting us with this.”
Métis Local 1990 leased the land from the city for the past 20 years; it paid the mortgage in full in 2013 for the building that houses the Elder Caring Centre.
The land transfer agreement includes the city selling the land for $1 with the conditions if within five years the nation stops using the land for its current purpose (providing affordable housing) or decides to sell the building and land, then the city may buy back the land at a price equal to 85 per cent of the fair market value of the building and land.
The city estimates the value of the land at about $142,000.
Dunfield said the land request has been in the works for a while, and an official request came in April 2023. Then, she spoke to city council last June to answer their questions.
Owning the land will allow Métis Local 1990 to apply for more funding.
“We have worked with the city on and in partnership with other organizations since 2003, and that just sets the stage for allowing us to look at other options to support our people over the long term,” said Dunfield.
The elder caring facility was built in 2003 in partnership with the city and other levels of government to offer low-income housing to seniors.
The centre has 17 suites and has been at capacity for years.
City council voted unanimously to transfer the land to the Métis Local 1990.
“Partnership and land is a good way to get non-profit organization projects off the ground; there comes a time when we need to give them the authority over the land themselves, and I've been a proponent of this for quite some time,” said Coun. Gladys Blackmore.
Coun. Grant Berg noted that the transfer of land to non-profits is not a new city initiative, as it has recently also transferred land to Sunrise House and Rising Above.
Jesse Boily, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Town & Country News
