At the IESO, we recognize the unique perspectives of Indigenous peoples in Ontario’s energy landscape and are committed to building and strengthening our relationships with Indigenous communities.
We have formalized that commitment through the creation of an Indigenous Engagement Framework, which outlines our approach to open dialogue with communities and building relationships that are based on transparency, honesty and authenticity.
*Memengwaanh Gtigaan (Butterfly Garden)
In broad terms, our engagements are designed to achieve one or more of the following for Indigenous communities:
Inform: to educate, empower, build capacity, understanding and awareness. This will include helping Indigenous communities understand the role of the IESO in Ontario’s electricity system.
Involve: to gain insights, inclusive of the needs, priorities and interests of Indigenous communities, as we work towards informed outcomes. These actions will vary from highly technical involvement to community-level engagement to foster participation in potential opportunities.
Collaborate: to solve shared challenges and build enduring partnerships. These diverse engagements may focus on an urgent system need or informing longer- term initiatives and developments to deliver a reliable, affordable and sustainable system into the future.
As we prepare for the electricity system of the future, we understand that our commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples is key, and it involves an ongoing process of fostering a culture of respect and inclusion both within our organization and in our relationships with Indigenous peoples.
*Illustrations courtesy of Adrienne Assinewai, owner of RavenStar Studio. All rights reserved. See the IESO Indigenous Engagement Framework for full artist statements.
