Keewaywin Capital announced a financing initiative to support Gihekdagye Friendship Centre, also known as Brantford Regional Indigenous Support Centre, in acquiring its current facility and expanding access to transitional housing in Brantford, Ontario.
The investment is being delivered in partnership with Vancity Community Investment Bank.
The funding will enable BRISC to transition from tenant to owner, securing a permanent home for its operations while creating new capacity for transitional accommodation and wraparound support services.
BRISC is a Friendship Centre serving urban Indigenous communities across Brantford, Haldimand, and Norfolk Counties.
The organization provides essential services including cultural programming, mental health and wellness supports, housing assistance, and homelessness outreach.
By acquiring its facility, BRISC is expected to strengthen the long-term stability of its programming while expanding its ability to support individuals and families facing housing insecurity and complex social challenges.
Keewaywin said the financing reflects the need for more flexible capital solutions for Indigenous communities and organizations outside traditional banking and lending channels.
The transaction also highlights the role of private credit in supporting Indigenous-led housing solutions.
Keewaywin’s financing model is designed to provide flexible, community-aligned capital that enables organizations to move forward with certainty and speed.
The firm said access to stable, culturally grounded housing remains a major challenge for Indigenous populations in urban centers, where demand for services continues to outpace available infrastructure.
Organizations like BRISC help address that gap by providing shelter, culturally informed care, and community connection.
The Gihekdagye Friendship Centre, meaning “along the river,” was established in 2018 and is governed by a fully Indigenous board of directors.
The Centre provides culturally grounded programs and services supporting the social, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being of Indigenous individuals and families.
Its programs include justice support, mental wellness and healthy living initiatives, youth engagement, seniors and lifelong care, employment and education readiness, cultural programming, crisis intervention, and housing and homelessness services.
Keewaywin Capital is an Indigenous-led private credit investment manager focused on financing housing and infrastructure projects across Indigenous communities in Canada.
Vancity Community Investment Bank is an Ontario-based Schedule 1 bank, Certified B Corporation, and subsidiary of Vancity that provides specialized financing for social purpose real estate, clean energy, and other impact-driven projects.
KEY QUOTES:
“This investment is about creating stability – not just for an organization, but for the community it serves. It is also about finding different, more flexible approaches for Indigenous communities and organizations to access capital outside of traditional banking and lending channels. By working alongside partners like Vancity, we are helping unlock solutions that provide safety, dignity, and long-term opportunity – things that don’t translate on a traditional loan or mortgage application.”
Tracee Smith, Founder and CEO of Keewaywin Capital
“This investment allows us to put down permanent roots in the community we serve. Owning our space and expanding our services into the transitional housing capacity will strengthen our ability to support individuals and families on their journey towards meaningful wellness, as well as provide us with an asset we can leverage for future needs. Friendship Centres are the first point of contact to access culturally-based socio-economic programs and services which is crucial towards having a place of growth and development.”
Shelly Hill, Executive Director of BRISC
“Our partnership with Keewaywin is rooted in a simple principle: that Indigenous communities deserve equitable access to capital that truly serves them. This investment in BRISC delivers on that commitment by providing a stable, permanent foundation to expand transitional housing and provide holistic supports to the people they serve. That’s what community-led, purpose-driven finance looks like in action.”
Jennifer Hutcheon, Head of Vancity Community Investment Bank
