WORKSHOPS

Below is a list of the workshops, categorized by field of study, presented at the 2014 Northern Ontario First Nations Environment Conference. A short synopsis of each of the events, detailing the contents of the workshop, are provided as well as a copy of the presentation where available.

The categories include Economic Development, Energy Usage, Environmental Studies, Fuel Management, Lands Management, Mining, and Waste Management.

Economic Development

Lands Economic Development Services Program (LEDSP) - Cheyenne Loon, AANDC

AANDC's LEDSP program, newly launched in 2014, provides targeted funding to support the economic development, land and environmental capacity of Aboriginal communities. This presentation will focus on how applicants can apply to LEDSP to support their environmental initiatives.
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Serpent River First Nation Sustainable Development - Chief Isadore Day, Serpent River First Nation

There has much work that has been done in regards to sustainable development within the region. Primarily in relationship building, Serpent River First Nations has engaged the start of many regional efforts that are vital to regional success. Some factors that have been discussed are to identify our watersheds, headlands, and broader Treaty Territory/Crown Lands need a new perspective in planning; one that focuses on "sustainability".
Additionally the traditional value systems are the primary focus of protection and preservation about how development should occur. This would include the implementation of the environmental review process.
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Energy Usage

Renewable Energy: Intro to RETScreen Tool - Chirs Price, Bimose Tribal Council, Laura Sayers, Shibogama First Nations Council

"RETScreen is an Excel-based clean energy project analysis software tool that helps decision makers quickly and inexpensively determine the technical and financial viability of potential renewable energy, energy efficiency and cogeneration projects (Natural Resources Canada RETScreen website: www.retscreen.net)." This workshop will introduce the software and provide delegates with an understanding of the RETScreen tool so that they can read RETScreen reports and understand the key information that will help with renewable energy project development.
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ecoENERGY Program - Barbara Gray, AANDC

This presentation will focus on presenting a description of the types of projects the ecoENERGY program supports, describing what makes an application to the ecoENERGY program strong, and providing some concrete examples of funded renewable energy projects in Ontario.
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OPA's Energy Programs - Cheryl McIntosh & Fraser Damoff, Ontario Power Authority

Two of the OPA’s Program Analysts will be delivering a presentation on the OPA’s Funding Support programs. The Aboriginal Renewable Energy Fund, the Aboriginal Community Energy Plan Program, the Aboriginal Transmission Fund and the Education and Capacity Building Program will all be covered in this presentation.
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Renewable Energy: Introduction to Technologies, Challenges and Project Development - Kostas Karanasios, Mariano Arriaga & Doug Fyfe, University of Waterloo, Mitch Diabo, Kasabonika Lake First Nation

Using the knowledge gained through the ecoEnergy II Research Project presently being conducted by the University of Waterloo and partners, including the Kasabonika Lake First Nation, the presentation describes the socio-economic situation of First Nations in remote communities where the provision of electric power is constrained and increasingly expensive to produce. Discussion includes community participation and long-term employment opportunities, existing electrical generation & dispatch, and proposed renewable energy integration with its free sources of energy (sun, wind, water), and the practical aspects of implementation.
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Renewable Energy: Introduction to Technologies, Challenges and Project Development - Karen Bird, Batchewana First Nation Renewable Energy Department

This presentation will discuss the renewable energy projects within our the Batchewana First Nation traditional territory. At present there are 2 wind projects and 2 solar projects. Within the presentation Karen will discuss partnership for the largest project – building the relationship, negotiating, structure, ownership, financing and other matters relating to finalizing the deal. The other 3 projects will be discussed in less detail.
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Environmental Studies

Sustainable Sturgeon Culture, The Business of Sustainability - Joe Hunter, Rainy River First Nation

Although the word ‘sustainability’ is a fairly recent term used in the management of the natural resources, its meaning has always been the way of life for the Anishinabe.
Since its prehistoric existence, the Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) has continued to live on despite environmental and anthropogenic influences. The Rainy River/Lake of the Woods Lake sturgeon fishery was once considered one of the largest of its kind in the world. This fishery was a source of life and livelihood for the Anishinabe who paid homage to the sturgeon through the practice of taking only what they needed to survive and carry them through harsh winters; sustainability in its earliest form.
Joe will discuss how, in the present day, technology and business have been incorporated into those early customs, without sacrificing respect for the life-giving force that the Rainy River and Lake sturgeon hold.
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Plant ID Training & Competition - Mary Bea Kenny, IFNA

There will be a short, walk-about, plant identification session and then a team competition in the field of collecting and identifying plants from the training session. This knowledge will assist with filling out Environmental Review Project Descriptions required for your on-reserve project funding and FNIIP reporting.

Intro to Environmental Project Management Part I: Pre Tender - Jim Taylor, OFNTSC

This session will provide an introduction to project management at the First Nations level, including a review of roles and responsibilities in planning and initiation of a project, construction activities, timeframes and strategies for maximizing benefits and First Nation content.
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Intro to Environmental Project Management Part II: Post Tender Processes - Jim Taylor, OFNTSC

This session will focus on the project management activities required to keep a project, "On Time and On Budget". The session will provide an outline of the steps involved in the tendering process, evaluation and selection of professional services, contract documentation, administration and reporting, along with how to deal with claims and dispute resolution measures.
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Fuel Management

Fuel - Small Tank Systems & Spill Response - Doug Stuart, OFNTSC

This session will focus on general specifications and best management practices for the installation and operation and maintenance of small fuel tank systems used for home heating. The objective of the session is to provide information to participants on applicable standards and regulations, roles and responsibilities and spill reporting. Participants will watch videos on home heating tanks and spill response. Use of a spill kit will be demonstrated providing hands on training. Spill reporting will also be part of this training module along with health and safety and use of Personal Protective Equipment which should be worn when cleaning up a fuel spill.
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Fuel - Safety at the Pumps - Doug Stuart, OFNTSC

A video will be shown on safety measures and Gas Bar requirements in regards to Environment Canada legislation. Then a short video on the Do’s and Dont's at the pump. Record keeping, site visual inspections, grounding and bonding, and safety equipment that is required at the Gas Bar.

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Lands Management

Invasive Species - Dr. Taylor Scarr & David Copplestone, MNR & Forestry

Forest Insects: Look Who’s Eating Now
The presentation will provide an overview of the major forest insects that are feeding on our trees, with an emphasis on invasive species that threaten the natural forests. Highlights include the forest tent caterpillar outbreak in northwestern Ontario, the beginnings of a spruce budworm outbreak, and threats posed by mountain pine beetle, emerald ash borer, and Asian long-horned beetle.
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Aquatic Invaders
The presentation will provide an overview of aquatic invasive species in Ontario including four species of concern: Round Goby, Phragmites, Bythotrephes, and Asian Carps. David will also share some tips on how to prevent their spread, and describe invasive species reporting tools that are available to help people report sightings in their communities.
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Emerald Ash Borer: Raising Awareness in Northwestern Ontario - Shelley Vescio, City of Thunder Bay, Mary Bea Kenny, IFN

The emerald ash borer (EAB), a wood-boring beetle native to Asia, was first discovered in the Great Lakes region in 2002. Attacking and killing all species of native ash, EAB has killed tens of millions of trees in Ontario, Quebec and the United States. The major pathway for movement of this insect appears to be the transport of firewood from infested to non-infested areas. The Emerald Ash Borer Task Force for Northwestern Ontario was formed in 2011 to help build awareness of the destructiveness of this pest in order to help prevent its spread into our region or slow its spread, if it was introduced.
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Lands Management and Data Collection Panel Discussion - Bertha Sutherland, Charlene Neegan & Roger Wesley, Constance Lake First Nation, Wilfred Wesley & Josie Oombash, Cat Lake First Nation, Tommy Yellowhead, Nibinamik First Nation

The importance of land management, surveying and land use planning is known to all the First Nation Communities. For some, this is the difference between protected areas, traditions and areas of interest. These plans are put in place to establish goals for cultural, social, and environmental issues and economic growth. What happens after the land management and surveying has been completed by your community? This workshop will help give you an insight on best practices, the struggles before and after your community land use plan has been completed and next steps. You will learn different ways to keep your community engaged.
Download Constance Lake First Nation's Presentation (PDF)

Drill Rig Demonstration - Les Maxwell, RPM Drilling Inc.

Presented by RPM Drilling Inc.
This demonstration will feature:
• A full demonstration of how a drill rig operates
• A brief comparison of different types/sizes of drills available
• Drill bit types and purposes
• Examples of when drilling would be needed for the following areas: soil contamination/investigations, geotechnical, mineral exploration etc and the difference between drills for each of these purposes
• Safety around drill rigs
• Training requirements/qualification for drill rig operator

GPS/Geocache Demonstration & Challenge - Natalie Popovic, Winidgo First Nations Council

Participants will have the opportunity to learn the basic operation of a Garmin GPS unit including entering a waypoint, marking and finding a coordinate. With a cheat (command review) sheet in hand, participants will set out to find 5 GPS coordinated in a hidden cache. Each cache found will provide the next set of coordinates.
A prize will be awarded to the team who completes the challenge in the best time.
Participants should strategize to find coordinates in a manner that will not give away the information to another team. GPS are usual good to with 10 meters so a team effort is required to find the actual cache location.
Grand prize of a Garmin GPSMAP64S donated by KBM Resources Group.

Far North Land Use Strategy - Elaine Hardy, MNR & Forestry

The presentation will explain the work that MNRF is doing with First Nations to prepare a Far North Land Use Strategy. The Far North Land Use Strategy is a document that will help guide communities across the Far North as they work with Ontario to prepare community based land use plans. In addition to the presentation two videos will be shown. The videos explain the community based land use planning process under the Far North Act, and how the Far North Land Use Strategy can help with planning.
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Species at Risk, Environmental Management & Protection of Indigenous Rights - Bertha Sutherland, Constance Lake First Nation & Carolyn Whittaker, The Firelight Group

For indigenous communities species at risk provide unique opportunities to leverage environmental management and decision-making power where there are species important to the practice of rights or where a community has developed a plan to maintain biodiversity. Well-designed traditional knowledge studies can use an evidence-based approach to provide a historical baseline providing a picture of current status of species trends over time. When combined with other forms of knowledge including western science and expertise of local knowledge holders these studies make the science more robust. Through knowledge and species at risk, communities who equip themselves well can have greater power over what development happens on their lands and what accommodations are provided for impacts to rights and interests. Constance Lake First Nation provides an example of how caribou is being used as part of a land-use planning process to determine which areas are historically important for hunting, trapping and the practice of rights.
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Mining

Mining Lifecycle - Dwayne Ziebarth, WSP Canada Inc.

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Modernization of the Mining Act Phase #3 - Mike Grant, MNDM

An information session (update) presented by MNDM staff, followed with a question and answer period.
MNDM has been notifying the region of Phase III of the Mining Act Modernization (MAM), which will include an on-line data and staking system. Seven other Canadian provinces have already adopted similar systems to make claim staking easier and less invasive; it will also allow for assessment dollars to be spent on ground work rather than on mobilization costs for staking.
While the system is in transition, existing claim boundaries may be updated using GPS tools, which provides opportunities for claim holders and local land users. To date, there have been some information sessions delivered regionally, which have generated feedback and questions for MNDM to consider.
The NOFNEC event will provide an ideal forum to continue the dialogue between the Ministry and the FN communities on what the system can incorporate, to work beneficially for all.

Planning for Exploration - Melanie Mathieson, MNDM, Natalie Popovic, Windigo First Nations Council

The session will focus on the preparation of agreements for early exploration projects, emphasising when, where and how to fit in early considerations and what should be discussed pre MOU and IBA to still recognize the need to protect and monitor the land while establishing positive relationships with industry proponents.
Discussions will include the requirement for environmental assurances at early stages of exploration and how to build agreements to include environmental sustainability prior to undertaking full environmental assessments.
Presentation to be followed by a delegate workbook planning session.
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Waste Management

Solid Waste & Public Health - Amy Montgomery, Health Canada

The goal of the Environmental Public Health (EPH) Program is to contribute to improved health status of First Nation individuals, families and communities through the delivery of programming. The Environmental Public Health Program works with First Nations communities and other agencies to prevent or mitigate environmental public health risks that may arise. Solid waste can be a public health hazard if it is not managed properly. The EPH Program works with the community and other agencies to help limit public health risks posed by solid waste disposal.
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On-Reserve Landfill Compliance & Regulations - Chris Price, Bimose Tribal Council

Get informed and join us in open discussions with key provincial and federal agencies on On-Reserve Landfill Compliance & Regulations.
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Landfill Agreements & Land Issues - Chris Price, Bimose Tribal Council

This session will provide examples, procedures on how to obtain and key points on joint municipal, federal or provincial landfill type agreements.
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Waste Diversion - Stephanie Allen, OFNTSC

Tying into the theme of "Prepare, Protect and Prosper", this workshop will focus on the environmental benefits and economic opportunities for waste diversion. Diverting waste can extend the life span of the landfill site and can protect our lands from harmful chemicals. Through sharing of success stories, this workshop will focus on ways that waste can be diverted and provide examples on how waste diversion can be used to offset operation and maintenance costs or bring in revenue to the community.
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