ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 WWW.OFNTSC.ORG HEAD OFFICE THUNDER BAY TORONTO Mississaugas of New Credit Indian SERVICE CENTRE SERVICE CENTRE Reserve, 4453 First Line Rd., 200 South Syndicate Ave., Suite 206A 111 Peter Street, Suite 606 New Credit Commercial Plaza Thunder Bay, ON P7E 1C9 Toronto, ON M5V 2H1 Unit 202, Box 8 Toll Free: 1-888-892-8281 Toll Free: 1-888-535-3383 Hagersville, ON N0A 1H0 Tel: 807-623-9595 Tel: 416-651-1443 Tel: 905-768-3399 Fax: 807-623-2566 Fax: 416-651-1673 MISSION STATEMENT The Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation is the founding organization in Canada whose purpose is to provide technical, and advisory services to all First Nations in Ontario; and to foster self-reliance for our people. We will strive to achieve our mission through: • Dedication to our roles and responsibilities as board members and staff • Professional integrity • Honest and fair advice in our relationships with each other and our First Nations; and • Respect for all forms of life, the water, and Mother Earth TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT Contact Information 2 Mission Statement 3 Our Communities 5 REPORTS Corporate Profile 6 EXECUTIVE REPORT: OFNTSC Mandate 7 President 12 Board of Directors 8 Technical Manager 14 Service from the OFNTSC 10 Operations Manager 15 SERVICES REPORT: Communications 16 Emergency Planning 17 Engineering 18 Environment 19 Climate Change 20 Fire and Safety 21 Fuel Systems Management Program 22 Housing 23 Infrastructure 24 Operations and STRATEGIC Maintenance 25 Water and Wastewater 26 INITIATIVE Water and Wastewater Specialist 27 Chiefs’ Water Crisis Summit 30 Administrative 28 CRTP 31 Climate Change and Energy Planning Specialists 32 Community Engagement 32 First Nations Water Symposium 2016 33 TechNations 2017 34 OUR COMMUNITIES ANISHINAABEG OF NOKIIWIN TRIBAL COUNCIL INDEPENDENT FIRST NATIONS Magnetawan KABAPIKOTAWANGAG Animbiigoo Zaagi’igan Anishinaabek ALLIANCE Nipissing RESOURCE COUNCIL (Lake Nipigon Ojibway) Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug Wahnapitae Anishinaabeg of Naongashing Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek Muskrat Dam Wasauksing (Parry Island) Wauzhushk Onigum (Sand Point) Pikangikum Big Grassy River Biinkitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek Whitesand UNAFFILATED SOUTHERN Northwest Angle #33 (Rocky Bay) Lac Seul FIRST NATIONS Northwest Angle #37 Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek Temagami (Bear Island) Ojibways of Onigaming (Gull Bay) MUSHKEGOWUK TRIBAL COUNCIL Weenusk Pic Mobert Attawapiskat Wahta Mohawks BIMOSE TRIBAL COUNCIL Fort William Chapleau Cree Mississaugas of New Credit Eagle Lake Fort Albany Hiawatha Asubpeescheewagong Netum UNAFFILIATED NORTHERN Kashechewan Curve Lake Anishinabek FIRST NATIONS Missanabie Cree Chippewas of Saugeen Iskatewizaagegan #39 Michipicoten Moose Cree Chippewas of Nawash Lac Des Mille Lacs Mishkeegogamang Taykwa Tagamou Algonquins of Pikwakanagan Shoal Lake #40 Ojibways of Pic River Wahgoshig Wabauskang Pawgwasheeng (Pays Plat) WABUN TRIBAL COUNCIL Shawanaga Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation Red Rock Beaverhouse Obashkaandagaang Ojibway Nation of Saugeen Brunswick House SOUTHERN FIRST NATIONS Ochiichagwe’Babigo’Ining Naotkamegwanning Chapleau Ojibwe SECRETARIAT Wabaseemoong Matachewan Caldwell KEEWAYTINOOK OKIMAKANAK Mattagmi Chippewas of Aamjiwnaang (Sarnia) MATAWA FIRST NATIONS TRIBAL COUNCIL Flying Post Chippewas of Kettle and Stoney Point MANAGEMENT INC. Deer Lake Chippewas of the Thames Aroland Fort Severn NORTH SHORE TRIBAL COUNCIL Delaware Nation (Moravian) Constance Lake Keewaywin Garden River Munsee-Delaware Nation Eabametoong McDowell Lake Mississagua #8 Oneida Nation of the Thames Ginoogaming North Spirit Lake Batchewana Long Lake#58 Poplar Hill Sagamok Anishinawbek OGEMAWAHJ TRIBAL COUNCIL Marten Falls Serpent River Chippewas of Beausoleil Neskantaga SHIBOGAMA FIRST NATIONS Thessalon Chippewas of Georgina Island Nibinamik COUNCIL Whitefish Lake Rama Webequie Kasabonika Mississaugas of Alderville Horne Payne Wapekeka UNITED CHIEFS AND COUNCILS OF Mississaugas of Scugog Island Wawakapewin MNIDOO MNISING Pottawatomi of Moose Deer Point PWI-DI-GOO-ZING NE YAA-ZHING Wunnumin Lake M’Chigeeng( West Bay) TRIBAL COUNCIL Kingfisher Lake Aundeck Omni Kaning LARGE FIRST NATIONS Couchiching Sheguiandah Bkwejwanong Territory Lac La Croix WINDIGO FIRST NATIONS COUNCIL Sheshegwaning (Walpole Island) Naicatchewenin Bearskin Lake Whitefish River Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Nicickousemenecaning Cat Lake Zhiibaahaasing Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte Rainy River Koocheching Sandy Lake Seine River North Caribou Lake WAABNOONG BEMJIWANG ASSO- Six Nations of the Grand Mitaanjigamiing Sachigo Lake CIATION OF FIRST NATIONS River Territory Slate Falls Nation Dokis Wikwemikong Unceded Whitewater Lake Henvey Inlet Indian Reserve ANNUAL REPORT 2017 5 WHAT IS THE OFNTSC? DID YOU KNOW… ESTABLISHED IN The Ontario First Nations Technical 1995 Services Corporation has been established for 22 years. CORPORATE OVERVIEW The Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation (OFNTSC) was established in 1995 to provide expert technical advisory services to the First Nations of Ontario. At that time, it was the first aboriginal organization in Canada mandated to provide professional technical and advisory services to First Nation communities and foster their technical self-reliance. The OFNTSC creates future capacity by encouraging youth to pursue careers in science and technology. The OFNTSC attends career fairs and encourages young people to enroll in science and technology related courses offering scholarships, often in partnership with the corporate sector. SERVICES Since its founding, the social, political and economic terrain in which OFNTSC operates has shifted dramatically. Changing demographics, competition from the private sector, the creation, replacement and maintenance of infrastructure, an enhanced recognition of unaddressed needs and reconfigured fiscal arrangements have created further challenges for OFNTSC as it endeavours to provide services in response to First Nation community needs. Thus, while OFNTSC continues to respond to First Nation requests, services vary according to individual community needs, levels of individual capacity, technical proficiency, management expertise and availability of funding. Consequently, the corporation provides services in a wide variety of areas: • Housing • Infrastructure • Operation & Maintenance • Engineering • Fuel System Management Program • Fire, Safety & Firefighting • Environment • Water & Wastewater • Water & Wastewater Specialist • Emergency Planning • Communications • Climate Change 6 ONTARIO FIRST NATIONS TECHNICAL SERVICES CORPORATION SCOPE OF RELATIONSHIPS DID YOU KNOW… The OFNTSC client base consists of all 133 Ontario First Nations. It also includes 16 Tribal Councils, six Large First Nations and 18 Large First Nations in Ontario are POPULATIONS OVER Unaffiliated First Nations. The OFNTSC maintains a collaborative defined as those First Nations with partnership with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Canada 2500 on-reserve populations of over Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Health Canada, Environment 2500. Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada, Human Resources and Social Development Canada, NRCan and Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Natural Resources. Furthermore, the OFNTSC pursues strategic alliances with other DID YOU KNOW… First Nation organizations, provincial and municipal governments, professional associations and the private sector. Unaffiliated First Nations are defined as a First Nation that does not have OUR a Tribal Council affiliation. MANDATE Chiefs in The OFNTSC was mandated by Ontario First Nations Assembly Chiefs-in-Assembly to provide advisory level technical services to Ontario’s Tribal Councils, Large First Nations, and Unaffiliated First Nations in the areas of: • Capital Project Planning and Development • Quality Assurance • Training • Operations and Maintenance Ontario First Tribal • Fire Protection Nations Council • Architectural Support Services Unaffiliated Technical First Nations Techncial • Housing Inspections Services Corp. Service • Housing Program Units Its underlying objectives include fostering greater First Nation autonomy in the acquisition of capital facilities and infrastructure development as well as promoting the development of modern community health and safety practices. ACCOUNTABILITY Large First Nations The OFNTSC is responsible to report to the Chiefs-in-Assembly, Tribal Council technical service units, Large First Nations, and Unaffiliated First Nations through a variety of means including the Annual Report and Board Member updates. ANNUAL REPORT 2017 7 OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS WESLEY BOVA President Matawa First Nations Management KEVIN DEBASSIGE TERRY GENERAL ROGER ROZON JAY BENEDICT Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Executive Committee Member United Chiefs & Councils Six Nations of the Nokiiwin Tribal Council Inc. Mohawk Council of Akwesasne of Mnidoo Mnising Grand River Territory KEVIN TREMBLAY PAUL SCHISLER WILLIAM HUTCHISON Executive Committee Member Executive Committee Member Executive Committee Member Wahgoshig First Nation Southern First Nations Keewaytinook Okimakanak Secretariat Tribal Council 8 ONTARIO FIRST NATIONS TECHNICAL SERVICES CORPORATION DAVID GORDON SCOTT SCHELSKE MARGARET AARON WILLIAM JOE C. MEEKIS Executive Bimose Tribal KENEQUANASH GENEREUX ASSINEWAI Sandy Lake First Committee Member Council Shibogama First Executive Wikwemikong Nation Independent First Nations Council Committee Member Unceded Nations Alliance Ogemawahj Tribal