No power, no running water, and a new build after a summer project in Maigen-Ajik. One of North America's largest contractors, 100% employee-owned, formalizes a partnership that began on the ground.

RAPID LAKE, QC, Oct. 5, 2026 /CNW/ -- Maigen-Ajik, an Anishinabeg community of about seventy people in Quebec's La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve, has no electricity and no running water. This summer, it launched a groundbreaking cabin-building project in collaboration with PCL Construction.

Together with industry partners, PCL helped raise $38,500 in financial support for the project, with cabins for the community being built by Algonquin youth participating in a carpentry skills training program. Facilitator support is being provided by the Rapid Lake community.

"This great initiative serves as a dual purpose, building skills while addressing housing needs!" said Christine Poucachiche, a Maigen-Ajik community member.

Along with its support for this housing initiative, PCL has formalized a partnership with the community by becoming the first Friendship Belt Patron of the Anishnabe Alliance, the highest level of support offered by the First Nations-led non-profit founded in 2025.

"Most partners start with a logo and promise action later. PCL did it the other way around," said Nona Vincent, founder and director of the Anishnabe Alliance and a member of the Anishinabe community of Rapid Lake. "Before we ever talked about sponsorship, they were helping build in Maigen-Ajik. That is the kind of relationship our communities need: one measured by what gets built, not by what gets announced."

"Building in a community with no grid and no water service forces you to rethink everything you take for granted on a jobsite. What our team learned in Maigen-Ajik is that the community sets the priorities and we bring the tools. Becoming a Friendship Belt Patron is how we make sure that wasn't a one-time project," said Mathew Baranowski, district manager, Ottawa, PCL Construction.

The Anishnabe Alliance works with Algonquin (Anishinabeg) communities and individuals in Quebec and Ontario across four pillars: economic development, education and training, housing, and sports and leisure. The Friendship Belt level takes its name from the wampum belts historically used to seal relationships of respect between nations. As a Friendship Belt Patron, PCL supports the Alliance's core operations and impact initiatives. It will also co-develop two in-community experiences with the Alliance and take part in its Annual General Assembly.

About the Anishnabe Alliance

The Anishnabe Alliance is a First Nations-led, non-profit organization and the grassroots voice of the Nation, dedicated to expanding the autonomy and development of the Anishinabeg across their unceded ancestral lands. Founded in October 2025, it supports practical initiatives in economic development, education and training, housing, and sports and leisure, grounded in dignity, respect, ancestral knowledge and a long-term commitment to self-determination. www.aalliance.ca 

About PCL Construction

PCL Construction is one of the most respected and accomplished global construction leaders, comprising independent companies operating throughout Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and Australia. With an annual construction volume of $13.8 billion CAD, PCL builds projects that shape communities and strengthen infrastructure. The company's 100% employee ownership model fuels a culture of commitment for clients in the buildings, civil infrastructure, heavy industrial and solar markets. With a strategic presence in more than 30 major centers, PCL's leadership teams consistently drive innovation and set new benchmarks for excellence, bringing unparalleled skill to every project. Watch us build at PCL.com.

SOURCE PCL Construction