Indigenous Engagement Working Group
The Indigenous Engagement Working Group is a resource to help TRCA staff engage meaningfully with First Nations and Indigenous communities, build long-term relationships, and inform TRCA’s contributions towards reconciliation.
The Working Group will facilitate TRCA staff input on corporate-wide guidelines, policy, and best practices for engagement with First Nations and Indigenous communities on programming and partnerships outside of the mandated Duty to Consult process.
Priorities
The Working Group’s scope of work includes:
- Information sharing and reporting on programming and partnerships with First Nations and Indigenous communities
- Providing input to the development and/or update of TRCA’s Indigenous Engagement Guidelines, policies, and processes in collaboration with staff
- Identifying and supporting the development of cultural competency training materials for TRCA staff
- Supporting the development of corporate communications related to First Nations and Indigenous communities
Working Group Updates & Highlights
Coming soon.
Membership
The Working Group membership includes representation from across TRCA divisions.
TRCA staff are encouraged to reach out to Working Group members of their division directly for any Indigenous engagement related questions or to learn more about the work of the Working Group.
Membership as of October 2022 consists of:
| TRCA Division | Staff Member | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Education and Training | Adrian O’Driscoll | Manager, Kortright Centre for Conservation |
| Jennifer Taves | Senior Manager, Partners in Project Green | |
| Development and Engineering Services | Namrata Shrestha | Senior Manager, Watershed Planning and Reporting |
| Human Resources | Chantal Fung | Learning and Development Specialist |
| Conservation Parks and Lands | Deanna Cheriton | Senior Program Manager, Conservation Lands and Trails |
| Amanda Perricone | Program Specialist, Conservation Parks and Lands | |
| Government and Community Relations/CEO’s Office | Sonia Dhir | Senior Program Manager, Peel and York Watersheds |
| Jessica MacDonald (Working Group Administrative Support) | Administrative Assistant, Peel and York Watersheds | |
| Victoria Kramkowski | Specialist, Peel and York Watersheds | |
| Restoration and Infrastructure |
Lisa Turnbull | Associate Director, Professional Services |
| Kathryn Brown | Senior Archaeologist/Coordinator, GIS Indigenous Engagement | |
| Vince D’Elia | Senior Program Manager, Ecosystem Management | |
| Policy and Planning | Mary-Ann Burns | Senior Manager, Provincial and Regional Policy |
| Corporate Services | Lisa Valente | Facilities Supervisor |
| Michael Bortolussi | Project Manager, Marketing |
Resource Library
More resources will be added soon.
If you have a resource you would like to share, please contact Sonia Dhir.
Get In Touch With Us
Have a question for the Indigenous Engagement Working Group?