Secretary Spotlight: Valerie Quintal
Posted on: Sep 18, 2026
Valerie Quintal — Provincial Secretary for Housing & Infrastructure
Provincial Secretary Valerie Quintal brings a lifetime of community connection, cultural strength, and pracSecretary Spotlight articletical experience to her work with the Otipemisiwak Métis Government. Raised in Conklin in a home grounded in Cree language and Métis traditions, Secretary Quintal’s commitment to community has been shaped by both her family and a long career dedicated to service.
After 25 years as a Water Plant Operator for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, followed by work as Assistant Manager of her family business, Secretary Quintal has carried that same practical, community-focused approach into her role as Secretary of Housing and Infrastructure.
As Provincial Secretary for Housing & Infrastructure, her work is helping turn the Otipemisiwak Métis Government’s housing priorities into tangible opportunities for Citizens across Alberta.
One of Secretary Quintal’s most significant areas of focus has been expanding access to safe, stable, and affordable housing.
She helped advance the opening of Cecil Bellrose Manor in Edmonton’s Griesbach neighbourhood, providing an important new affordable housing option for Métis Citizens and community members. Other Edmonton area projects include Pakoshayimoohk (Hope) Village, the Wahkohtowin Community, and Pishkayhta. In 2026, Secretary Quintal helped secure a $2.3-million investment toward the purchase of land for affordable housing in Calgary.
These accomplishments reflect Secretary Quintal’s broader approach to housing: building capacity today while creating the foundation for more housing opportunities tomorrow.
Her mandate addresses a wide range of housing needs, from rent-geared-to-income and below-market options to support for Citizens facing urgent or complex circumstances. Through the Reaching Home initiative, Citizens experiencing or at risk of homelessness receive coordinated services. Mortgage and down payment assistance also help Métis families achieve homeownership and build long-term financial stability.
Together, these initiatives recognize that every Citizen’s housing needs is unique. Some families need emergency or transitional supports. Others need affordable rental options. And for many, the goal is ultimately to own a home of their own.
Another important priority is strengthening the long-term capacity of Métis housing institutions, including supporting the transition of Métis Housing and its affiliated corporations into institutions of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government in accordance with the Constitution and Transition Plan.
For Secretary Quintal, the importance of this work ultimately comes down to its impact on people. She often reflects on what happens when an individual or family finally has a safe and secure place to call home: stability returns, confidence grows, and new possibilities begin to open. That human impact is what continues to drive her work.