Four First Nations acquire Hilton Quebec hotel
One of Quebec City’s largest and most prestigious hotels is now Indigenous-owned
The James Bay Cree have partnered with the Huron-Wendat and Naskapi nations, and the Mi'gmaq of Gespe'gewa'gi, to become majority owners of the Hilton Hotel in Quebec City.
The deal was announced on Jan. 16.
The Cree have already invested in hotels in Val-d'Or, Dorval and Gatineau, but this is their first time partnering with other Indigenous nations.
"Our leadership was exploring the idea of working with other First Nations jointly to further showcase our culture and traditions," said Henry Gull, president of the James Bay Eeyou Corporation, the James Bay Cree partner in the deal.
The four nations named their partnership Atenro, which translates to "friendship" in the Wendat language.
"What we're trying to achieve here is really collectively putting your strengths together and becoming an economic force of change for the future," said Fred Vicaire, the CEO of Mi'gmawei Mawiomi Business Corporation, the partner company owned by the Mi'gmaq of Gespe'gewa'gi.
The Hilton Quebec is located on Wendat traditional territory. It's a tourist hotspot that is also a city between nations, according to Vicaire.
For Vicaire, investing for future generations is a way to honour his ancestors.
"Seeing this become a reality really brings a feeling of success, not just for us, but for our ancestors, of what we fought for," said Vicaire, who grew up in Listuguj, a Mi'gmaq community in eastern Que.
Indigenous presence is important for Vicaire, especially within the tourism industry.
"It is a mission and a mandate on our part to share that experience to tourism so that [visitors] really get to know each of the cultures of the different nations," said Vicaire.
The board of directors and the Hilton group plan to redesign some parts of the hotel to reflect each culture, according to Vicaire.
Gull says that could include hiring Indigenous artists from each of the home territories.
Gull hopes the hotel will not only provide a comfortable stay for visitors but also serve as a gathering place for conferences and business meetings, particularly for Indigenous people.
"Right across the street is the Parliament of Quebec," said Gull. "So it's kind of an ideal location, very central."
The Hilton Quebec hotel has 569 rooms and large venue spaces. Gull says they may offer special rates for Indigenous guests.
"In the future, we are looking at possibly training some Indigenous staff," Gull added.
Reflecting on the year of planning it took to make this investment a reality, Gull said he's hopeful for the future of Indigenous economic development.
"It was perfect timing for us," said Gull. "We needed to place some funds somewhere where they can be protected and we took this opportunity to do that."