Blind River Town Council and Mississauga First Nation (MFN) are joining forces to document the history of the area.
They are setting up a joint committee to establish procedures to document background information on historical/traditional lands in both communities aimed at creating a database to be used for future planning.
CAO-Clerk Katie Scott provided Blind River council with a report on the matter at its meeting Monday.
Municipal staff were invited to meet at Mississauga First Nation on Feb. 21, to discuss possible ways forward to ensure we are properly consulting with MFN when there are new developments. Several large-scale projects are starting in 2024 so it was thought to be a good approach to discuss how best to work through each project and ensure there were no concerns, she said in her report.
“The Planning Act, and under any funding agreement entered into by the municipality, have requirements for First Nation Consultation prior to any development occurring, as well as the potential for archaeological studies to take place to ensure no significant/historical/traditional lands are negatively impacted by development.”
“Blind River has a duty to consult with Mississauga First Nation prior to development occurring in the community. Through discussions with Mississauga First Nation, the two communities would like to work on a proactive approach that could potentially fast-track some projects if there is a prior knowledge already discussed and documented, for these requirements. By working together, we can build a stronger relationship and knowledge of our neighbours, Mississauga First Nation. In addition, Mississauga First Nation is keen to inventory Blind River’s rich heritage. Regardless of the community, both have interest in Indigenous and Settler teachings,” Scott added.
Representing Blind River on the committee will be CAO Scott, the Director of Facilities and Community Services, the Museum Curator and a planner/engineer if required as a resource.