Construction on a $75-million Métis cultural centre in Fort McMurray, Alta., has been halted after the organization behind the project ran into a funding shortfall.

The Métis Nation of Alberta’s McMurray Métis Local 1935 broke ground on the project in the fall of 2020. Construction started in 2021.

The project has received nearly $35 million in funding from municipal, provincial and federal governments.

In a news release this month, McMurray Métis said construction “needs to be paused” and that the local leadership will now focus on “securing the existing asset” and “addressing the funding gap to move this project forward.”

The group said it is “committed to continuing to build our foundation for future generations, and the Métis cultural centre is an important part of our future.”

The cultural centre was designed for use as office space, grounds for training and employment and child and family welfare support.

It would also display Métis artifacts, like the cache of interviews with elders a summer student found that were thought to be lost in the 2016 wildfire.

The building, at the confluence of two rivers in MacDonald Island Park, is designed in the shape of an infinity symbol.

The project was originally expected to cost $22 million, but the cost crept up over the years.

In July 2021, McMurray Métis told the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo that its latest estimate put the price tag at $74.7 million.

In an email this week, project director Shawn Myers said McMurray Métis is “working diligently” to answer all questions from the community.

Keep reading on cbc.ca

• 
•