Sturgeon Lake First Nation opening birthing and childrearing lodge

Press Release

April 29, 2026 — Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatchewan — Indigenous Services Canada

Today, the Sturgeon Lake First Nation, in partnership with Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), celebrated the grand opening of the Shirley Bighead Nihtāwiki and Ohpikihāwasowin Birthing and Childrearing Lodge. The purpose of the lodge is to provide mothers from Sturgeon Lake First Nation with the opportunity to give birth closer to home and in accordance with Cree tradition and ceremony.

To date, ISC has invested more than $20 million to the project, which includes funding for facility construction, operations, policy development, and programming. In addition, ISC will be providing over $683,000 annually to support birth-related programs and services within the Shirley Bighead Nihtāwiki and Ohpikihāwasowin Birthing and Childrearing Lodge.

Quotes

“This means a great deal to our community. For too long, our mothers had to leave home to give birth, away from their families, their supports, and their ceremonies — a separation that echoes the losses our people have carried for generations. Birth is not only a moment in time. It is the beginning of a relationship — to family, to community, to language, and to the land. When that beginning happens at home, in ceremony, it shapes how that child comes to understand who they are. We are grateful to the Government of Canada and Indigenous Services Canada for their partnership and investment in making this vision a reality, and to all those whose tireless work helped bring this lodge to life. Today is not just a celebration. It is an answer to generations of loss — to the children taken to residential schools, to the mothers who gave birth alone, far from home. We have not forgotten. But today, we turn toward a new era — one where the circle, long broken, begins again.”

Chief Christine Longjohn
Sturgeon Lake First Nation

“Being able to give birth close to home, surrounded by family, tradition, culture and ceremony, will not only help mothers to experience deliveries in a less stressful and more familiar setting, but also welcome their children into a safe, welcoming, and loving environment. In addition, facilities such as this lodge provide employment and training opportunities for Indigenous youth, including those from Sturgeon Lake First Nation, who choose to pursue careers in the healthcare industry without having to travel outside of their communities.”

The Honourable Mandy Gull-Masty
Minister of Indigenous Services

Quick facts

Sturgeon Lake First Nation is a member of the Prince Albert Grand Council.
The community is located 30 km northwest of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
Indigenous Services Canada supports culturally appropriate, responsive and safe services for mothers, babies and their families. Since 2017, the Government of Canada has made significant investments to support more access to midwifery services for Indigenous Peoples. As a result of this shared work, more women in more Indigenous communities are giving birth closer to home, surrounded by family and community.

Contacts
For more information, media may contact:

Livi McElrea
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Mandy Gull-Masty
Minister of Indigenous Services
olivia.mcelrea@sac-isc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Indigenous Services Canada
media@sac-isc.gc.ca

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