What: Hudson's Bay closed its massive Winnipeg flagship in November 2020 and has donated it to Canada's First Nations in an act of reclamation and reconciliation.

Why is it important: The Hudson’s Bay Co. has come up with a meaningful solution for a major piece of unused real estate. The Toronto-based HBC has donated its six-level, 655,000-square-foot former flagship store in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, to the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, which will transform the historic building into a mixed-use site for affordable housing; a health clinic embracing Western and traditional medical practices; a childcare center; a museum, and a living art gallery where the First Nations will tell its story.

There will also be a restaurant and a café with a take on First Nations cuisine, an atrium brightened by skylights, and a rooftop garden where children in the care center can plant their own garden, and residents and employees can get some fresh air.

Through the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the First Nations people suffered disproportionate economic, health and social hardships. Officials said the Winnipeg project will create more than a million working hours during the construction phase, putting people back to work after the pandemic.

HBC donates a flagship to Canada’s indigenous people