There are many different resources and training opportunities available to Indigenous groups in Canada about provincial and federal IA processes, laws, and regulations, but few that equip them to create their own approach to environmental decision making. This one-day course seeks to fill that gap. It provides a path for Indigenous groups to create their own IA approval process for projects or activities proposed in their territory to be implemented alongside, or independently from, those required by provincial or federal governments.
Course content includes:
The learning outcomes are an increased understanding of how Indigenous-led assessment can exist alongside federal and provincial assessments and strengthen recognition of rights related to environmental authority and decision making, and a set of steps that can be considered in developing an Indigenous-led assessment process.
Level: Foundation
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of key IA terms and process would be helpful.
Language: English
Duration: 1 day (18 May)
Min/Max: 20-30
Price: $285
Instructors: Caroline M. Coburn, Partner & Managing Director, Odonaterra Inc (Canada); Fiona Wirz-Endrys, Community Impact and Food Security Specialist, Odonaterra Inc (Canada); Alana Graham, IA Coordinator, Mushkegowuk Council (Canada); Lawrence (Logan) Jeffries, Elder Member, IA Advisory Group, Mushkegowuk Council (Canada)
Caroline Coburn (MA, RPP, MCIP, Partner & Managing Director, Odonaterra Inc.)
Caroline Coburn is an environmental planner with 31 of experience in public and Indigenous consultation, community impact assessment, and regional land and environmental planning. Caroline has supported many Indigenous communities in building capacity in strategic natural resources management and in environmental assessment.
Caroline is an experienced impact assessment practitioner. She has consulted with and assessed the project and cumulative impacts on Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities resulting from major resource and infrastructure developments such as mining, pipeline and oil sands projects, conventional and alternative energy developments, and municipal and provincial infrastructure projects. She has worked in most Canadian jurisdictions including Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Nunavut, Yukon Territory, and Northwest Territories. Her regional and community-based land use planning experience expands over three decades and includes citizen engagement on transportation planning, community planning, and watershed/environmental stewardship planning.
Caroline has decades of developmental facilitation and training experience spanning multi-stakeholder facilitation in watershed planning, environmental planning and policy for provincial governments, Oil & gas and diamond sector projects, various First Nations planning committees, public participation training, human geography research methods, and for EcoCanada’s Building Environmental Aboriginal Human Resources (BEAHR) Environmental Monitoring Training in northern Saskatchewan. She also taught a fourth-year Environmental Geography course part-time at the University of Ottawa in 2015 and 2016.
Caroline is a Registered Professional Planner in Ontario, and a full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners. She was President and Treasurer of the Ontario Association for Impact Assessment from 2012 to 2019. She has Master of Arts and an Honours Bachelor of Arts, both in Human Geography, from the University of Alberta and the University of Saskatchewan, respectively. She is a lifelong learner with training in public participation, project management, Indigenous cultural awareness, and negotiation. She continues to learn about Indigenous culture, language and protocols from Indigenous friends and Elders.
Fiona Wirz-Endrys (BES, M.Env.; Community Impact and Food Security Specialist, Odonaterra Inc.)
Fiona Wirz-Endrys has experience working in sustainable development, environmental assessment, and community resilience strategies. She has a Bachelor of International Development (Honours) from Waterloo University, a Master of Environmental Assessment from Concordia University, and is pursuing a Certificate in Food Security at the Toronto Metropolitan University.
Fiona has supported several socio-economic and cultural baseline studies and impact assessments for mining, wind, and dam projects in northern Quebec and Ontario. She has recently completed Indigenous-led social impact assessments for mining projects with the Cree Nation of Wemindji and with Slate Falls Nation. She is supporting the development of culturally informed impact assessment tools and training resources with Mushkegowuk Council for use by Ontario Omushkego First Nations. Fiona is currently the lead advisor for Wemindji’s climate change resilience and food security planning projects, which are focused on community leadership, capacity and resilience building.
Fiona has experience leading Indigenous Knowledge and land use studies and supporting Indigenous-led impact assessments and their contextual methodologies. Fiona has also supported the development environmental management plans, land use plans, and an environmental assessment law. Fiona emphasizes building relationships and trust with clients, supporting community-led processes, and providing tools to strengthen community voices and self-determination.
Fiona has skills in GIS mapping, experience in ethnobotany, holds a permaculture design certificate, is a member of the Ontario Association for Impact assessment, and is currently completing a certificate in food security at the Toronto Metropolitan University. Fiona is fluent in English, French, German and Czech. Fiona lives on the traditional and unceded territory of the Omàmìwininìwag (Algonquin), Anishinabewaki and the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) peoples, who have been the stewards of these lands, rivers, and mountains since time immemorial, and continue to be so today.
Alana Graham (BA; Impact Assessment Coordinator, Mushkegowuk Council)
Alana Graham’s spirit name is Mishkinakkwe/Turtle Woman, Mikisew Doodem, and is a proud member of Moose Cree First Nation in Mushkegowuk lands of the James Bay Cree. She has served for 2 years as the Impact assessment coordinator for Mushkegowuk Lands and Resources based in Timmins, Ontario. After growing up in a remote community of Moosonee, Ontario , Alana always searched for a way to help her people, first through social work and then community work and development.
With an educational background is in Community Development, Alana earned a BA in Community Economic Social Development through Algoma University in Timmins, Ontario. Graduated in 2018, and since then Alana has focused on and worked in Indigenous Services, specializing in program development and community projects in Mushkegowuk communities. She has been actively involved promoting the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in social work and community development in Northern Ontario. She is actively working with Omushkego communities to create a culturally relevant impact assessment toolkit that will build confidence and proficiency in impact assessments currently underway in the James Bay lowlands in Ontario.
Lawrence (Logan) Jeffries (Diplomas in Business & Social Services)
Logan Jeffries is a Moose Cree Community leader with over 40 years of experience advancing community-driven initiatives in governance, environmental protection, health and justice. As a fluent Cree speaker and cultural knowledge holder, he brings a deep commitment to promoting Moose Cree identity, and land-based values in all aspects of his work.
He currently serves as lead for the residential school initiatives with Moose Cree First Nation, where he supports survivors, families, and elders through the Kakesaposkenanaw Circle, facilitating truth-telling and healing in culturally grounded ways. His lifelong dedication to promoting his community has also included serving as Acting Chief of Moose Cree First Nation and representing his nation at regional and national tables.
Logan is a seasoned professional in environmental impact assessment, having coordinated major environmental and community engagement resources across the region. As former Director of Environment & Climate Change at Nishnawbe Aski Nation, he helped build indigenous capacity to respond to development proposals and ensure First Nations’s Values were reflected in decision-making. He also played a key role in the implementation of the Detour Gold/Moose Cree Impact and Benefit Agreement.
Earlier in his career, Logan served as Executive Director of the Sagashtawao Healing Lodge and as Health Services Director at Weeneebayko General Hospital, where he led the development of culturally grounded programming. He has served on multiple boards including the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission and the Thunderbird Foundation.
He holds diplomas in social service work and business administration. Throughout his career, he has mentored emerging leaders and supported long-term planning grounded in Indigenous governance and cultural knowledge. His work reflects a consistent commitment to protecting the land, empowering communities, and advancing justice for Moose Cree and other First Nations.