Construction will hopefully kick off soon for a long-awaited Indigenous research facility at the University of Guelph, after the Board of Governors approved a $1.5 million budget increase for the project Wednesday.
Nokom’s House, a facility focused on supporting land-based, relational Indigenous research, was approved by the Board of Governors in 2021 with an initial budget of $2.4 million. It will be located in the Arboretum.
The 1,700-square-foot building was set to start construction in 2022, but the project was repeatedly pushed back for ongoing discussion and reviews due to concerns around the cost.
“We’ve been looking at this project for quite some time,” said vice-president of finance and operations Sharmilla Rasheed during the Board of Governors meeting.
Rasheed said the additional $1.5 million was initially requested in April, but the board asked for further review to determine whether such a significant increase was necessary, given the that the university has been operating on a financial deficit for the last few years.
But even after review, it was determined that the approved budget “was “insufficient to construct a facility that will satisfy the goals of the project,” the report states.
Given the delays with the project, the university had to ask for extensions for the $600,000 in grants received from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Ontario Research Fund - Research Infrastructure. If the project is not approved to move forward by March 1, it would lose these funds.
But the motion to increase the budget was approved during Wednesday's meeting, bringing the budget up to $3.9 million. Of that, $1.07 million is to be paid from operating funds, $2.05 million from heritage funds, $0.6 million from grants and the remaining from fundraising.
“This is a priority, so we’re going to do this,” said board chair Nancy Brown Andison, adding that the administration would find room in the budget.
“There is no space on our campus that is committed to research with the Indigenous community,” said U of G president Charlotte Yates during the meeting.
"This is an important part of our commitment to Indigenization," she said during an interview later. "It is core to the University of Guelph's commitment that we will advance Indigenization, we will advance truth and reconciliation."
"We're thrilled," Yates said of budget increase approval. "The board would like to see shovels in the ground."
If all goes as planned, construction is set to start in summer of 2024, and the grand opening would b be held in the spring of 2025.
The name of the facility is inspired by the Ojibway word for grandmother, “nokomis.”
It’s to be built in a clearing on the west end of the Arboretum, and according to an earlier press release, will feel like a granny’s cabin, with a large kitchen, kitchen table, woodstove, lounge space, consultation room and porch.
It will be surrounded by gardens, a sacred fire space, and ceremonial grounds.
Nokom’s House would be a land-based learning space to be used by three Indigenous researchers – Kim Anderson, Sheri Longboat and Brittany Luby – their students and collaborating Indigenous community members for research, engagement and ceremony.
