Indigenous peoples, Canada First Nations – Municipality relationship building
Summary
EEM provided facilitation and partnering expertise for a national program aimed at strengthening collaboration between municipalities and adjacent First Nations on infrastructure and services.
Approach and Solution
The mandate involved providing facilitation expertise and partnering training for a series of workshops delivered across British Columbia and Alberta and involving both the political and administrative levels of municipal and First Nations governments. Relationships are key to creating successful and long standing Service Agreements between Municipalities and First Nations (i.e. sharing of infrastructure or services related to water, wastewater, solid waste, etc.). EEM’s workshop design and collaborative processes enabled participants to engage openly and constructively about their relationship, to assess positive and negative attributes, and to jointly define action plans strengthening their partnership.
Results
Relationships and partnerships between First Nations and municipalities were strengthened as a result of EEM’s facilitation and capacity building, which will have a direct impact on the quality and sustainability of their Service Agreements and an indirect impact on the sustainability of their respective communities.