The Blood Tribe is set to break ground on a new housing building this week in Standoff, marking another step forward in tackling the community’s housing needs. Blood Tribe Housing is hosting the ceremony on Friday, June 19, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at its Standoff location.
The event comes as the department reaches the deadline for a community housing needs survey, also on June 19. The survey is gathering input from members about housing realities and priorities both on and off the reserve.
The new building adds to an ongoing push that includes 20 affordable units under the Rapid Housing Initiative across Standoff, Moses Lake, and Levern. Other projects include Section 95 rental housing and eight two-bedroom units for opioid replacement housing.
Blood Tribe Housing manages roughly 1,405 homes across six zones on the reserve. The department is unique in running its own construction plant. As Housing Director Cody Wells put it, “We’re the only First Nation across Canada that does our own builds.”
Friday’s groundbreaking is the latest move supported by a $150 million settlement the Kainai Nation reached in 2019 with the federal government over mismanagement of ranching assets. Of that, $123 million was earmarked for housing, capital works, and community buildings. Last year, the Tribe broke ground on a new administration building funded through that settlement.
