Former Grand Chief Launches Real Estate Agency

Quebec is getting its first Indigenous-owned commercial real estate agency, and former Grand Chief Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer is one of the people spearheading it.

She serves as the Vice-President of Corporate Affairs at Panorama, an agency that aims to provide strategic services to businesses, governments and communities across the province. Panorama was founded by Benoit Loyer, a Mi’gmaq from Listuguj, and is supported by partner and real estate broker, Susan Levinger. Speaking at the agency’s launch on Wednesday, Sky-Deer recalled how she, Loyer and Levinger came up with the idea.

“They said, “you know what, there’s no one occupying the field in commercial real estate as it pertains to First Nations””, Sky-Deer said. “So, let’s launch a new division, a new company- and this is what we’re gonna do: we’re gonna bring people together in a good way”.

“Trust, collaboration, the spirit of unity, all those things that were just shared” she continued, following an introduction from elder Ka’nahsohon Deer. “About how we need to think different, how we need to do different, and take care of our people. All people. And so that was kind of the vision and the spark of where Panorama was born”.