Manitoba Government Supports Indigenous Mothering Centre to Keep Mothers and Babies Together

Press Release

March 12, 2026

The Manitoba government is providing $2.5 million to Blue Thunderbird Family Care Inc. to purchase and renovate a property for the future Mino’Ayaawag Ikwewag Mothering Centre in Winnipeg, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine, minister responsible for women and gender equity, announced today.

“Indigenous mothers are the heart of our communities and supporting new mothers will have a lasting impact on families and future generations,” said Fontaine. “The Mino’Ayaawag Ikwewag Mothering Centre will provide a safe, culturally grounded space where mothers can nurture their babies while accessing supports rooted in traditional knowledge and practices. By investing in culturally specific care and programming, we are helping to strengthen the bonds between mothers and children while ensuring families can thrive together in a place that feels like home.”

The investment will support the first phase of the mothering centre project, which includes:

• purchasing and renovating the property;
• covering start-up costs to hire and train staff;
• furnishing the home; and
• preparing programming for pre- and postnatal Indigenous women.

The centre will feature six bedrooms or living units for mothers and children, along with a shared kitchen and dining space. Mothers and babies will be able to reside at the centre for approximately three to six months, the minister noted, adding they will also have access to wraparound supports based on traditional knowledge and practices, including:

• doulas and midwives;
• cultural resources;
• mental health and addictions support; and
• counselling and life skills training.

Blue Thunderbird Family Care Inc. also operates Granny’s House in Winnipeg, a core-area project that provides respite care for children outside the Child and Family Services system, supervised by a house mother or granny and support staff, the minister noted.

“We are deeply grateful for this investment. This is reconciliation in action, moving beyond acknowledgement to reshaping systems that have far too often separated Indigenous mothers and babies,” said Dana Arabe, executive director, Blue Thunderbird Family Care Inc. “The Mino’Ayaawag Ikwewag Mothering Centre will be a culturally grounded, community-led space where families can remain together with dignity, where traditional knowledge is honoured and where families are strengthened, creating lasting change.”

To learn more about the Manitoba government’s $20-million strategy to support the safety, protection and empowerment of Indigenous women, girls, two-spirit and gender-diverse people, visit www.gov.mb.ca/wage/minoayaawag-ikwewag.html.

The investment also supports the goals of Pathways Forward: Manitoba’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, which prioritizes groups at vulnerable transition points, including babies and children zero to five years old, beginning in the prenatal period. To read the full strategy, visit www.gov.mb.ca/povertyreduction/pubs/poverty-reduction-strategy-2026.pdf.

The new mothering centre is expected to open this summer, the minister noted.

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For more information:

• Public information, contact Manitoba Government Inquiry: mgi@gov.mb.ca or 1-866-626-4862 or 204-945-3744.
• Media requests for general information, contact Communications and Engagement: newsroom@gov.mb.ca.
• Media requests for ministerial comment, contact Cabinet Communications: cabcom@manitoba.ca.

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