The province is investing two million dollars into a youth healing lodge in Thompson, which will be established and run by Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.

Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen says the healing lodge is intended to provide more justice resources in the north, reduce the number of youth being incarcerated again, and decrease the use of Thompson’s RCMP cells for non-violent youth detained for intoxication.

MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee says First Nations leaders have been advocating for strategies to address the over-representation of Indigenous people in the justice system, and that a youth lodge is a proactive step in preventing youth in entering those systems.