Burnell Place offers safe place for patients from remote First Nations in Manitoba

A recently opened lodge in Winnipeg's West End is offering First Nations people who've come to the city for medical services a family-oriented alternative to staying in hotels.

Burnell Place opened last October in the former Kivalliq Inuit Centre building on Burnell Street.

Many First Nations people come to Winnipeg for medical services that aren't available in their communities, such as surgery or dialysis. Burnell Place is designed so families can stay together and relatives can visit from out of town.

Each room has its own bathroom, a couch and dining room set, and kitchenettes are being installed. A cafeteria serves hot meals and food to go for those spending the day in appointments.

Burnell Place also offers spaces to gather, laundry rooms on every floor and security around the clock.

It is the third facility in Winnipeg opened by the Cormorant Group, which owns and operates similar locations on Sherbrook and Keewatin streets.

General manager Gwen Flett says she and a partner started the business because of what happened to her as a young patient from St. Theresa Point, in a big city for the first time.

"My first experience was, 'Oh wow, this is so amazing! We don't have that,'" she said, her eyes widening as she recounted her early days in Winnipeg.  

"Later on, you start feeling a little lost," said Flett.

Her initial excitement turned into a sense of being overwhelmed.

"Sometimes you just stay in your room because you don't know what to do, or you're scared," she said. 

"So we wanted to make it feel like people don't have to worry about anything," Flett said. "There are friendly faces they can go to with any problems."

The staff are all Indigenous, and most of them speak Ojibwe, Cree, Oji-Cree or Salteaux.

Mary Bear, who works at the front desk, said she helps guests navigate the city and the medical system.