LORLIE, Sask. — Peepeekisis Cree Nation has officially opened a funeral home in Lorlie, a facility the First Nation says is the first Indigenous-owned funeral home in Canada.
The funeral home celebrated its soft opening Sept. 17, drawing political leaders, chiefs, business partners and local residents.
“It went really well,” said Keegan Montgrand of Peepeekisis Developments LP. “We had a lot of individuals there from all over the place. We had politicians, chiefs, our business partners and individuals from the local community. We had a lot of great support.”
The facility will offer a full range of services, including on-site cremation, funeral arrangements, caskets and urns.
According to Peepeekisis Cree Nation, the project was developed to provide families with access to end-of-life services closer to home while creating a First Nation-owned option within the funeral services industry.
Montgrand said establishing the business required navigating provincial licensing and regulatory requirements, a process he described as straightforward.
“We've been working with people who have been walking us through the process,” he said. “Thankfully, it's been a smooth process as we've been applying and receiving our licences to operate.”
The funeral home is located in Lorlie, Sask., near the Peepeekisis Cree Nation community.
The opening marks the latest economic development initiative undertaken through Peepeekisis Developments LP, the Nation's economic development arm.
Community leaders say the facility will provide culturally appropriate funeral services while expanding business opportunities for the First Nation.
The Sept. 17 soft opening served as an opportunity to showcase the facility and its services ahead of full operations.
