OTTAWA — Algonquin leaders and the federal government have signed an agreement committing to a new space for Algonquin Peoples in Ottawa’s parliamentary precinct.

The new building will be located in a prominent spot along Wellington Street, directly in front of Centre Block.

Official plans for its usage and building design are still under development, but the goal is for the building to serve as a hub where Algonquin Peoples and leadership can congregate.

Grand chief Savanna McGregor of the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council says the agreement is an act toward reconciliation, and that the space will be one future generations can be proud of.

Algonquin leaders have long pleaded for such a space, arguing the existing Indigenous Peoples Space in front of Parliament unfairly excludes them, even though it is located on their traditional territory.

There is currently no timeline for when the building will open.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2024.

The Canadian Press