Category: In the News

First Nations-Led Joint Table on Waste Management and Illegal Dumping Established to Develop Options to Address Regulatory Gaps

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News release

February 2025 — Ottawa, Unceded Algonquin Territory, Ontario

A Joint First Nations-Federal Table has been established to explore options to address the longstanding gaps in environmental protections on First Nations reserve lands, with a focus on waste management and unauthorized dumping.

The Table brings together representatives from 13 national and regional First Nations organizations across Canada, as well as officials from Indigenous Services Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, to work collaboratively to address this important issue.

First Nations reserve lands are protected by fewer regulations than other communities in Canada and waste management systems have been historically underfunded. Most provincial and municipal environmental laws generally do not apply on reserves, leaving First Nations communities more vulnerable to environmental, health, and safety risks, and unable to enforce penalties for violations comparable to provincial fines.

Over the next several months, the Joint Table will explore options to improve the policy and regulatory framework governing waste management and unauthorized dumping on reserve. Findings are anticipated by fall 2025. These findings will first be discussed with communities, and may lay the groundwork for the development of a robust waste management regime on reserve lands.

The implementation of a waste management framework will empower First Nations to enhance environmental and public health outcomes while safeguarding their reserve lands. This initiative will provide First Nations with additional tools to protect and manage their lands in the best interests of their communities, aligning with practices across Canada.

For additional information on the Joint Table please send an email to: JTWM-TCGD@nalma.ca

Joint Table Members:

  • Anishinabek Nation
  • Assembly of First Nations
  • Chiefs of Ontario
  • Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq
  • Environment and Climate Change Canada
  • First Nations of Quebec Labrador Sustainable Development Institute
  • First Nations Technical Services Advisory Group Inc.
  • Indigenous Services Canada
  • Indigenous Zero Waste Technical Advisory Group
  • First Nations Land Management Resource Centre (ex officio member)
  • National Aboriginal Lands Managers Association
  • Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation
  • Saskatchewan Aboriginal Land Technicians
  • Southern Chiefs Organization Inc.
  • Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory
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Congratulations

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Congratulations to our Executive Director, Leona Irons, on being appointed to the Order of Canada for her lifelong commitment to the responsible and sustainable management of Indigenous lands.

Leona has worked in the field of First Nation Land Management for over 40 years building land management capacity and advocating for the land management profession. As an employee in Lands at Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Peterborough Ontario District Office, and as a First Nation Land Manager for Hiawatha First Nation and her own community, Curve Lake First Nation, Leona realized the necessity for professional development and networking for the betterment of First Nation Land Management.

Leona has always envisioned the need for a National Association for First Nation Land Managers across Canada. In April 2000, under the direction of the founding Board of Directors, Leona Irons, as Executive Director, established and managed the National Aboriginal Lands Managers Association (NALMA). The Association celebrated 23 years of operation in April 2023. Over those 23 years, she assisted in the establishment of eight Regional Lands Associations (RLA) across Canada

As Executive Director of the National Aboriginal Lands Managers Association, and with the support of 11 staff, Leona has raised the organizational profile and funding for NALMA and RLA’s with her leadership and expertise in the field of First Nation Land Management.

The Order of Canada is one of our country’s highest honours. It recognizes people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to our nation.

https://www.gg.ca/…/new-appointments-order-canada-and…

Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects’ (ICCE) National Conference

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Le texte français suit l’anglaisView this email in your browserJoin us for the Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects’ (ICCE) National Conference! The 2023 conference theme is Sharing Knowledge to Take Action and will be held May 29 to 31, 2023 at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa, Ontario. The Westin Hotel is located at 11 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON K1N 9H4 and the telephone number is 613-560-7000.

Speakers from coast to coast will share their knowledge on cumulative effects assessment, management, and monitoring, and how their ground-breaking initiatives are helping Indigenous communities to strengthen their capacity to build stronger communities.

Through interactive presentations and panels, conference participants will learn more about innovative ways to handle the social, cultural, and environmental components of cumulative effects work. These discussions, rooted in both Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge, will empower communities to seize this opportunity to take action and continue their contribution to the ever-growing Indigenous leadership on cumulative effects. Joignez-vous à nous pour la conférence nationale du Centre autochtone sur les effets cumulatif (CAEC) !Le thème de la conférence 2023 est Partager des connaissances pour agir.  La conférence nationale se tiendra du 29 au 31 mai 2023 à l’hôtel Westin à Ottawa, en Ontario. L’hôtel est situé au 11 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON K1N 9H4 et le numéro de téléphone est le 613-560-7000.Des conférenciers d’un océan à l’autre partageront leurs connaissances sur l’évaluation, la gestion et la surveillance des effets cumulatifs et sur la façon dont leurs initiatives révolutionnaires permettent aux communautés autochtones de renforcer leur capacité à bâtir des communautés plus puissantes.Grâce à des présentations et des panels interactifs, les participants à la conférence en apprendront davantage sur les façons novatrices de traiter les composantes sociales, culturelles et environnementales du travail sur les effets cumulatifs. Ces discussions, ancrées dans le savoir autochtone et non autochtone, donneront aux communautés les moyens de saisir cette occasion d’agir et de poursuivre leur contribution à la croissance du leadership autochtone en matière d’effets cumulatifs. Tools & Resources Accomodation
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Contactez-nous Visit VisiterMeet our Emcee Bob Goulais  Bob Goulais, an Anishinaabe from Nipissing First Nation, is a well-versed and experienced senior executive and consultant having provided over 25 years of service to government, industry, not-for-profit, and Indigenous organizations.

He is a second-degree member of the Three Fires Midewiwin Lodge, a traditional society of the Anishinaabe (Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatami) people. He is a strong advocate for the retention and proliferation of the Anishinaabemowin (Ojibway language) and Anishinaabe Aadiziwin (Indigenous ways of knowing and being).

He actively leads Indigenous cultural competency training, implementation of Truth and Reconciliation processes, and integration of Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) values and concepts in projects across Indigenous territory.

It is our pleasure to have him be part of our first in-person conference as our master of ceremonies. Rencontrez notre animateur de la conférence  Bob Goulais, Anishinaabe de la Première Nation de Nipissing, est un cadre supérieur et un consultant chevronné et expérimenté, œuvrant depuis plus de 25 ans au service d’organisations gouvernementales, industrielles, sans but lucratif et autochtones.

Il est membre au deuxième degré de la Three Fires Midewiwin Lodge, une société traditionnelle des Anishinaabe (Ojibway, Odawa et Pottawatami). Il est un ardent défenseur de la conservation et de la diffusion de l’Anishinaabemowin (langue ojibway) et de l’Anishinaabe Aadiziwin (modes autochtones de connaissance et du savoir être).

Il dirige activement une formation à la compétence culturelle auprès des Autochtones, la mise en œuvre de processus de vérité et de réconciliation, et l’intégration des valeurs et des concepts du savoir traditionnel autochtone dans des projets au cœur des territoires autochtones.

Nous sommes heureux qu’il participe à notre première conférence en présentiel à titre de maître de cérémonie.  Join our Mailing List S’inscrire à notre liste de distribution  FacebookTwitterWebsiteInstagramEmailLinkedIn Share on FacebookShare on Facebook Share on TwitterShare on Twitter Share on LinkedinShare on Linkedin Forward NewsletterForward Newsletter

ACLS Cost Drivers Study – Draft Toolkit

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August 30, 2018

To the Various Land Managers across Canada:

In 2015, the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors (ACLS), in partnership with the Surveyor General Branch (SGB) of Natural Resources Canada and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) conducted a “Survey Cost Study” to consider the assertion made by ISC that “the costs of surveys on Canada Lands is 2 to 3 times more expensive then on non-Canada Lands”.

The “Survey Cost Study Working Group” was formed, comprising of members/personnel from the above-mentioned organizations/departments. The Working Group contracted out the research and preparation of a Report to a third party, to investigate the validity of the assertion related to costs of surveys.

It had to be an “Apples to Apples” comparative study of the survey projects between those surveys on First Nations lands, and those done under the Provincial system. For example, a subdivision survey done on First Nation Reserve lands, compared to a subdivision survey done on neighbouring Provincial lands.

It would not be practical, nor be a meaningful collection and analyzation of the data, to compare two surveys prepared for different purposes on the different lands.

There were 3 parts to the Data Collection:
A. Interviews with First Nations
B. Surveys Research and Land Surveyor Interviews
C. Comparison of Surveys

The Cost Study Report has been prepared, reviewed and finalized. As you can imagine, the volume of data collected from 76 First Nation responses, 73 sample survey projects and a few dozen follow up interviews, was immense and highly technical. In reviewing the Report, it contained a wealth of data, but being at a decidedly technical level, the ACLS felt that it could be a challenge and a time-consuming effort for those trying to extract useful information from, when wanting to obtain a survey on First Nation Reserve lands.

Therefore, the ACLS created a sub-committee of their Members and have prepared this DRAFT version of a Toolkit, that pulls out the applicable information that Land Managers may find useful when looking to have a survey conducted on their Reserve lands.

Please note the following terms referenced, may be interchanged in the Cost Study Report and the following pages:
• Survey(s), land survey(s) – are both intended to have the same meaning;
• Surveyor, land surveyor, Canada Lands Surveyor (CLS) – they are intended to have the same meaning, unless otherwise specifically referencing surveys conducted on Provincial lands;
• Surveyor General Branch (SGB), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)- they are intended to reference the same Federal Government Department;
• Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) – they are intended to reference the same Federal Government Department
In reading through the Report, the cost drivers relating to surveys seemed to relate to 1 of 4 categories:
1. Project Initiation and Preliminary Planning and Research
2. Fieldwork
3. Plan Preparation and Office Work
4. Approvals and Registration of Survey Plans

We encourage you to read through the following documents as they relate to these 4 sections. The intent of these documents is to provide clarity and information on the cost drivers and potential ways to mitigate the cost drivers, while referring to the data collected and analyzed in the Report.

As these are only in a DRAFT format, we encourage any feedback you may have on these documents. Please contact Jean-Claude Tétreault (contact information is on the attached business card) with your questions or comments by November 30, 2018.

The intent is to have this document evolve and provide further information on surveys on Canada Lands. The Indigenous Relations Steering Committee od ACLS is already working on additional documents to add to the Toolkit. With your feedback, we are confident that we can create a useful resource tool for surveys.

Thank you for your time taken to review the documents,

Tania Bigstone, CLS, PEILS(np)
Chair, Survey Cost Working Group

Combined Tool Kit (FINAL Draft)

Request for Proposals: COEMRP Dispute Resolution Project

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The National Aboriginal Lands Managers Association (NALMA) is requesting proposals from experienced consultants or firms for the development of two dispute resolution models.  These models would be for use by First Nations wishing to provide on-reserve spouses and common-law partners with a mechanism to resolve matrimonial real property disputes on separation or survivorship. Additional deliverables include training materials to be used to introduce the models and provide instruction on the use, customization and implementation of the model and a work-book to guide the First Nation technicians or committee tasked with the development, customization and implementation of the dispute resolution process.

Proposals will be received by the National Aboriginal Lands Managers Association located at 1024 Mississauga Street, Curve Lake, Ontario K0L 1R0 until 4:30 pm on August 24, 2018. Proposals can also be emailed to Leona Irons – Executive Director at lirons@nalma.ca with the subject line COEMRP Dispute Resolution Proposal. Proposals received after the closing date will not be considered.

QUERIES AND CLARIFICATONS:

The RFP Contacts are Kathy McCue, MRP Specialist West– kmccue@coemrp.ca  (available now until August 17th) and Chris Angeconeb, MRP Specialist East – cangeconeb@coemrp.ca (available August 17 – August 24).

The proponent is responsible for obtaining any needed clarification. Questions should be directed in writing to the RFP contact.

RFP COEMRP Dispute Resolution project