Helping two First Nations communities adapt to future impacts by identifying climate risks and resilience measures through risk assessments

At a Glance

  • 10

    Training Sessions

  • 45

    Adaptation Measures

  • 88+

    Open House Attendees

Location
Blind River, Ontario
Offices
Client
  • Mamaweswen, The North Shore Tribal
  • Council (NSTC)
Partners
  • Ontario First Nations Technical
  • Services Corporation
  • Pamela Hubbard—Drawing on Ideas

Mamaweswen North Shore Tribal Council First Nations Climate Risk Assessment

In Northern Ontario climate change is creating new challenges for communities that rely on infrastructure to deliver essential services. Recognizing these risks, Mamaweswen, The North Shore Tribal Council (NSTC), partnered with our team to better understand how changing climate conditions could affect assets and long-term planning.

We worked with the Sagamok Anishnawbek and Batchewana First Nation communities to complete climate risk assessments using the First Nation Infrastructure Resilience Toolkit (FN-iRT). The assessments provide substantial social, economic, and environmental benefits to member communities by evaluating vulnerabilities to current and future climate risks and identifying practical strategies to strengthen resilience and prioritize adaptation measures.

Collaborating with community members, our team gathered local knowledge and co-developed solutions. We held capacity-building workshops on adaptation measures, climate data, economic growth, low-carbon resilience, asset management, and the application of FN-iRT. The community members also collected and shared traditional ecological knowledge through visual storyboards. For a closer look at the process, please check out the documentary by Climate Atlas of Canada.

Our recommendations included enhanced food security, storage, and supply, as well as increased alternative water management and storage, drainage improvements, and infrastructure upgrades. Additional suggestions encompassed the use of passive cooling and ventilation, emergency planning, and enhanced community engagement, including youth engagement and employment.

As a result of these efforts, each community can implement key actions that will enhance their social and economic well-being when faced with the risks posed by climate change to their traditional ways of life, the protection of their assets, and continued operations.

At a Glance

  • 10

    Training Sessions

  • 45

    Adaptation Measures

  • 88+

    Open House Attendees

Location
Blind River, Ontario
Offices
Client
  • Mamaweswen, The North Shore Tribal
  • Council (NSTC)
Partners
  • Ontario First Nations Technical
  • Services Corporation
  • Pamela Hubbard—Drawing on Ideas

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