Housing in Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) does not currently meet the needs of all members across the 49 NAN communities. In response to recommendations emerging from the NAN Housing Strategy, NAN partnered with TDL in 2020 to launch Community Led Designs for Specialized Housing in the North (CLDSHN). The multi-part project  – focused on creating tools supporting First Nations to build more appropriate housing – included a focus on skills training, recognizing that sustianable, long-term change to housing systems required skills development.

Two self-directed, asynchronous courses - one focused on construction project management, and one focused on tendering and procurement processes - were developed and launched. The courses and associated certificate of completion are designed to support both the implementation of designs created through the broader CLDSHN project, and housing construction across NAN territory more broadly. 

Course content was informed by 15+ existing construction textbooks and resources, with key refinements made to ensure that case studies provided and content delivered is tailored to the unique social, geographic, and climate contexts of NAN communities. 

The asynchronous courses were coupled with two, live, eight-week pilot courses completed by more than 40 learners across NAN Territory between February and June, 2025. Drawing on the experience of the Wahsa Distance Education Centre as a reliable provider of distance education in the North, the courses were offered with Zoom and radio options. For one hour each Thursday, housing managers, landscape contractors, Chiefs, community members, and economic development staff from across the territory came together virtually to learn together and share their experiences with construction project management and tendering and procurement for housing in NAN Territory. 

NAN members who complete the courses are eligible to receive a certificate of completion issued in partnership between NAN, TDL, Wahsa Distance Education Centre, and the Faculty of Community Services at Toronto Metropolitan University. 

Guided by curiosity, the project began by asking: 

How can local capacity for housing construction be strengthened across NAN territory? How can capacity development and training opportunities be tailored to the unique contexts and experiences of NAN members?

Who was involved?

The project involved engagement with 20+ NAN housing professionals and community members who participated in the pilot courses between February and June, 2025. The courses and associated certificate are issued in partnership between NAN, TDL, Wahsa Distance Education Centre, and the Faculty of Community Services at Toronto Metropolitan University. 

What was TDL’s role?

TDL was responsible for designing, developing, and co-delivering the two courses - one focused on construction project management, and one focused on tendering and procurement processes. 

What types of engagement occurred?

Course content was developed based on previous engagement, through various NAN projects including co-creation, with potential learners from across NAN territory and their specific project needs. Course materials were then tested through the live pilots to ensure their appropriateness and applicability to learners both through in class conversations and a post-course reflection. 

What was learned?

In course design, local context matters.

To inform the development of the CLDSHN courses, 15+ textbooks and other construction resources were reviewed. When reviewing, it soon became clear that most existing resources to build capacity for housing construction focus on large-scale infrastructure projects in non-Northern contexts. Insights from NAN housing experts underscored the importance of tailoring course content to the unique contexts and experiences of NAN communities. For example, the course was adapted to include conversations about the impacts of winter road access and climate change on scheduling and availability of materials in NAN territory. These case studies provide grounded examples to help learners better understand the construction process and begin to apply project management principles such as risk assessment and monitoring to their own practice and communities, and demonstrated the importance of accounting for context in course design.

Project Partners