Dear Premier Kinew,
We, at Relèven, want to commend your bold efforts to address the pressing issue of housing in Manitoba and extend our wholehearted support in helping you achieve your goals within your stated 30-day timeline.
We have good news for you and the province — the properties you seek already exist. They are heated, plumbed, ready to go, and largely vacant. They are Manitoba's religious properties. For years, these buildings have been integral to the social and cultural fabric of their communities. Currently, however, they are challenged to redefine their roles within Canada’s social contract. We know where these properties are, which ones are most vulnerable, as well as those most able to support housing.
While your government has the power to make offers on these properties, our expertise lies in facilitating quick and fair arrangements. We specialize in helping faith communities share space with a wide variety of users or, when necessary, transitioning these properties into new ownership models that serve the public good.
In Winnipeg, together with our Shared Ground partners, we are already working towards this goal of identifying and repurposing social purpose infrastructure to develop affordable housing. And with your support, we can match these properties to your government’s initiative efficiently and effectively.
The potential is tremendous. If we account for all of Manitoba’s vacant and under-used religious spaces, there is more than enough capacity not only to address homelessness in Manitoba but to provide vital space for arts organizations and other community groups as well.
Working with faith communities also presents unique challenges; not the least of which is their complicated relationship with Canada’s First Nations. Working to deconstruct colonial models of land and ownership require specialized knowledge and experience. Over the years, we have seen numerous well-intentioned initiatives falter due to a lack of expert guidance. Our team brings a wealth of experience in faith property transformation and is eager to support your vision with the skills and insights we have gained.
As a registered charity and national leader in this field, we have collaborated with grassroots community organizations, community foundations, as well as all levels of government, and we are confident in our ability to deliver effective solutions.
Premier Kinew, we sincerely hope you will take us up on this offer. We believe that together, we can not only make a significant impact in Manitoba but also create a model response to homelessness that can be replicated across the country. This moment presents an incredible opportunity to demonstrate how faith properties can be harnessed for the greater good of our communities.
We look forward to working with you and welcome any opportunity to discuss how we can help bring this vision to life.
