Urban Indigenous Engagement Strategy

She:kon. Aanii. Boozhoo. Waychaya. Kwey Kwey. Tawnshi.

The City of Kingston is looking to co-create an Urban Indigenous Engagement Strategy with community. The objective of the strategy is not just about improving engagement, it’s about building the relationship between the City and the urban Indigenous community.

An Urban Indigenous Engagement Strategy will guide how City staff engage with the community. The strategy may include a number of guidelines, such as methods of engagement, preferred outreach and communications methods, types of questions asked, meeting formats and cultural protocols.

Background

Engagement with the urban Indigenous community occurs across City departments. The Office of Indigenous Initiatives engaged on the renaming of Aki Road, and is currently seeking guidance on sacred and ceremonial spaces and on the development of this strategy.

However, other City departments also reach out for input on projects and policies related to public spaces like parks and community centres, social services like housing and childcare, planning initiatives like the Official Plan, climate strategies such as the Climate Leadership Plan, community wellbeing programs such as the food strategy or the municipal fee assistance programs and more.

This strategy will help guide the entire corporation and make sure that engagement is meaningful and culturally appropriate.

Get Involved

We’re kicking things off with a series of coffee chats with community members. If you’re interested in adding your input and being a part of the conversation, please feel free to sign up below. Honourariums will be provided for participants.