We bridge capital and the urgent need for dignified homes.

Pleiades Housing Alliance is a federally incorporated non-profit working hand-in-hand with First Peoples and Indigenous Nations to deliver high-quality, culturally appropriate housing where it is needed most.

A First Nations family of four, two parents with a laughing young boy and a little girl in a floral dress, sitting close together indoors in a warm, softly lit home
Our Mission

Closing the Indigenous housing gap, with dignity at the centre.

For too long, families in First Peoples and Indigenous Nations have faced overcrowding, mould, and homes that cannot withstand the climate. The need is urgent and the funding is fragmented. Pleiades Housing Alliance was created to change that, acting as a strategic financial and technical partner that turns capital into real, lasting homes.

We are not a contractor parachuting in. We are a partner that listens first, structures the financing, and supports communities to build and own quality housing that reflects their culture and endures for generations.

Our Vision

A Canada where no Indigenous family lives without a safe, warm, dignified home.

We see a future where capital flows efficiently to the communities that need it, where housing is built with cultural integrity, and where the housing gap is closed in a generation, not left to the next one.

What guides us

Our values

Every decision we make is measured against these commitments.

Community first

Communities lead and own the work. We bring resources and expertise; the vision and the homes belong to the people who live in them.

Quality without compromise

We build homes engineered to last, durable, healthy, and energy-efficient, because families deserve more than a temporary fix.

Radical transparency

Donors and partners can see exactly how funds are used and what they achieve. Accountability is how we earn trust and keep it.

Lasting impact

We measure success in homes occupied, winters survived in warmth, and capacity built, not in announcements or square footage alone.

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Our approach

Why a financial and technical partner, not just another builder.

The housing gap persists not because communities lack vision, but because capital is fragmented and remote construction is hard. We were built to solve exactly that.

We unlock capital

We blend grants, impact investment, and partnerships into financing that actually gets homes built, taking on the complexity so communities don't have to.

We deliver technology

Modular, prefabricated construction means tighter quality control, faster timelines, and homes engineered to perform in the harshest Canadian conditions.

We build capacity

Local crews, training, and community ownership mean the benefit doesn't leave when the build is done. It stays and compounds.

Our technology in action

Modular homes, built for the North.

Prefabricated construction lets us deliver durable, energy-efficient, culturally appropriate homes to even the most remote communities, with the speed and quality control that conventional remote builds can't match.

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Modular building units being assembled in a snow-covered factory yard, with construction crews in high-visibility gear, a forklift, and delivery trucks Fero International
Nation-led governance

Built to be led, not just consulted.

PHA's governance architecture is designed so that every layer of the capital structure, from a $25,000 gift to a $150M government grant tranche, sits inside the same fiduciary spine. And at the point of deployment, decision-making belongs entirely to the partner community.

9-Member Board

A built-in Indigenous majority through a 5/4 split, upholding the Nation-led, co-design model in every governance decision. Board competencies span Indigenous governance, Canadian charity law, finance, modular construction, green energy, and major-gift cultivation.

Joint Ventures & MOUs

Every project begins with a formal Joint Venture or Memorandum of Understanding with the partnering community's leadership. Homes are built on Nations' terms, not delivered to them. Communities in active dialogue include Scugog Island First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation.

Financial Controls

Dedicated campaign accounts with dual signatory requirements. Independent annual audit with results published to founding partners and the public. Decision authority: Executive Director under $100K; board majority $100K–$350K; full board above $350K.

Leadership & Governance

The team behind the work.

PHA's leadership, board, and strategic advisors bring together decades of experience across financial leadership, Indigenous relations, community engagement, modular construction, and governance.

Executive Leadership

Eric Nielsen

Executive Director

45+ years of financial leadership and CFO experience in the charitable sector. Specialist in cross-sector asset management and structuring non-profit governance to maximize public funding pipelines. Senior financial professional and corporate officer since 1979.

Jamie teiorakawate Rice

Director, Indigenous Relations & Engagement

Mohawk Nation member. Expert in bridging partnerships between corporate stakeholders and First Nations leadership, aligning consultation frameworks with the traditional Great Law. Diverse public service background since 1987 spanning community advocacy, teaching, and storytelling.

Eric Corneau

Director, Programs & Services

Strong background in public administration, community program management, and operational delivery. Expert in community capacity building and stakeholder relations, translating strategic frameworks into field-level community services. Guides PHA's program deployment and trade-training frameworks to serve remote Nations.

John Collette

Director, Finance & Administration

24 years managing government-awarded technology contracts and executing complex program frameworks. Controller for public and private companies in the construction and building materials sectors. Specialist in regulatory oversight and fiscal compliance.

John Menardi

Director, Research & Development

Extensive technical leadership in advanced industrial design and global material manufacturing. Expert in engineering execution and product prototyping, guiding PHA's climate-resilient, Net-Zero modular assembly standards.

Christopher Minnes

Director, Development & Fundraising

Community outreach, public relations, and stakeholder engagement specialist. Skilled in mobilizing public engagement and strategic partnerships to secure lasting philanthropic support for housing initiatives.

Saad Jadoon

Director, Marketing, IT & Web Development

Multidisciplinary entrepreneur and operations leader with expertise across consulting, product development, and organizational management. Leads PHA's digital strategy and operational growth from the ground up.

Board of Directors

Angelo Menardi

Board Chair

35+ years of architectural, manufacturing, and construction project-management experience. Expert in technical design and sustainable building solutions, bridging design vision with industrial production. Board Chair since October 2025, guiding governance and the partnerships that scale PHA's Net-Zero modular pipelines.

Arian Soheili

Board Treasurer

Designated Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA) with deep expertise in corporate finance, financial reporting, and data-driven accounting. Specialist in cross-functional leadership and operational optimization, bringing rigorous fiscal oversight, budgeting, and compliance to PHA's governance framework.

Eva Mohan

Board Secretary

Strong background in corporate administration, stakeholder communication, and project coordination. A highly organized specialist in executive operations and governance workflows, managing PHA's regulatory compliance, corporate records, and board administration to keep the alliance running seamlessly.

Strategic Advisors

Neel Maharaj

Advisory Committee Chair

More than two decades developing ventures across healthcare, insurance, technology, international trade, and social impact. Expert in strategic partnerships and organizational development, translating innovative concepts into scalable projects through collaboration with government, industry, and institutional stakeholders.

Garry Wood

Strategic Advisor to the Executive Director

Senior executive and board leader with deep expertise in corporate governance, strategic planning, and organizational transformation. Former President/CEO of national enterprises and a municipal governance member, strengthening governance, risk management, and strategic clarity across mission-driven initiatives.

An Indigenous woman wrapped in a patterned wool blanket looking out over the coast at dusk
Culture at the centre

Housing that respects identity, land, and tradition.

A home is more than shelter, it holds family, ceremony, and the passing of culture between generations. We design with communities so that every home reflects who lives there and the land it stands on.

Reconciliation isn't a slogan to us. It's the daily practice of listening first, sharing decision-making, and making sure the benefits stay in the community.

Stand with communities building a warmer future.

Your support helps turn fragmented funding into finished homes. Join us as a donor, partner, or advocate.

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