The City of Saskatoon, Indigenous leaders, loved ones of missing or murdered Indigenous women, and the City’s police chief celebrated the grand opening of the Coming Home Centre Monday morning.

The new Centre can be found on the 7th floor of the First Nations Bank of Canada building, which happens to be located on the Yellow Quill First Nation Urban Reserve.

The space offers Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people a place to access services, hold ceremonies, share cultural traditions, and gather.

Melissa Cote, Saskatoon’s Director of Indigenous Initiatives, says the project was spurred in 2019 following engagement that came after the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.  

“Community told us that existing systems were difficult to navigate; that services were often fragmented; that Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people needed safety, trust, advocacy, and connection.”

Police Chief Cam McBride also spoke at the opening, stating that those that have experienced the unimaginable grief of losing a sister, mother, daughter, or friend will now have a place to go.

“A year from now, we’re going to look back and say, ‘how in the world did we do without this for so long?'”

Brian Gallager is the father of Megan Gallagher, an Indigenous woman who disappeared before her remains were found two years later. 

“Our story is a little over six years old now, but one of the things that we definitely could have used during that time and over 400 court appearances, was a place to come unwind from that crazy place where we’re trying to survive.”

The grand opening coincides with the same week as the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.