Developments & Initiatives

In 2019, Abegweit First Nation partnered with the Jays Care Foundation to re-construct its community ball field. The ball field is in the heart of the Scotchfort reserve and is open throughout the summer months for everyone to enjoy!

In 2021, Abegweit First Nation constructed five new homes in Scothcfort under CMHC’s Rapid Housing Initiative. These homes were built within a rapid eight-month period by our very own Abegweit construction team. As a result of this initiative, five families were able to move back to the community to work, play and live!

In 2022, Abegweit First Nation opened the doors to a brand-new early learning centre in Scotchfort. Abegweit has a young and fast-growing population, and this state-of-the-art facility allows the community to accommodate this growth by providing a safe and healthy environment for our little ones to play, learn and grow!

With the support of ACOA’s Community Revitalization Fund, our community constructed a new outdoor rink in our Scotchfort reserve, adjacent to our new ballfield. Fully equipped with outdoor lights, top-of-line board system, hockey nets and other equipment, our outdoor rink is open seven days a week for all to enjoy!

The Abegweit Connects Business Centre began construction in 2021 and opened its doors in 2023. This multifaceted community building was supported by many partners, including the Province of PEI, ACOA, Infrastructure Canada, and Indigenous Services Canada. The building features a variety of spaces that will support the community’s socio-economic growth, including office space, cultural space, meeting space, boardrooms, retail space and a commercial kitchen. This state-of-the-art building is in a prime location along the Route 2 and offers scenic views of the community and Hillsborough River.

Breaking ground in 2023, Abegweit’s construction team is currently building six passive solar homes in the community under the Indigenous Homes Innovation Initiative (IHII), a federal program funded by Indigenous Services Canada and Infrasture Canada and delivered by the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO). The builds, which will be certified to meet Canadian passive house standards, will support energy independence, minimize energy costs, and address housing shortages.

Under the Federal Government’s Investing in Canada’s Infrastructure Program, Abegweit spearheaded a multi-million-dollar Active Transportation project on its Scotchfort reserve. The project, which broke ground in 2023, features new paved walkways, street lighting, highway improvements, an embankment/landing on the Hillsborough River to accommodate a floating dock system, and a pedestrian underpass that allows travellers to safely access the community on both sides of the Route 2 highway. Overall, this project enhances the interconnectivity of the Scothcfort reserve, linking the community with its land along the river and the Confederation Trail system, and provides infrastructure that will support active lifestyles and eco-tourism for years to come.

Abegweit is planning for the construction of a new community health care facility in Scotchfort. This building will be a state-of-the-art facility and provide our health care professionals with the space and resources required to continue to expand and improve upon our community health care services. The facility, which is supported by the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), is set for construction this summer (2024).

Abegweit is planning for the construction of an Experiential Tourism Centre and Cultural Grounds on land between the Route 2 highway and Confederation Trails system in Scotchfort. The centre will provide visitors the ability to learn more about the community, purchase Mi’kmaq crafts, book tourism experiences, and rent recreational equipment, such as kayaks and e-bikes, to use on Abegweit’s new active transportation infrastructure. The project will also include the development of cultural infrastructure that will prominently display the community’s traditions and provide visitors the chance to learn more about Mi’kmaq culture. Stay tuned for exciting updates!

Abegweit recently acquired the Blockhouse Point Lighthouse from DFO and over 12 acres of adjacent land from the Province of PEI. With the property, we have exciting plans that will preserve history and natural beauty, while enhancing visitor access and experience. Design and site development work is already underway thanks to support from ACOA’s Community Revitalization Fund, and in 2025 we are planning to break ground with construction. Stayed tuned for exciting updates!

Abegweit’s Community Recreation Centre will be an inclusive, publicly accessible, climate resilient, net-zero community building in Scotchfort. The new building, which is supported by funding from the Province of PEI and Infrastructure Canada, will be a 1,198 m2 addition to the Abegweit Connects Business Centre. It will house a fully functional gymnasium, walking track, multipurpose space, a kitchen, an exercise room, an aquatic health spa, and more! It will also serve as a warming centre for the region in the event of severe weather conditions and power outages. Construction for this project is anticipated for 2025.