Across Canada, First Nations and municipalities are strengthening their regions by collaborating on service agreements, land use planning and economic development. Through this process, they are working to reconcile past differences and build powerful new relationships based on mutual respect, understanding and a common vision for their future.
Download The Stronger Together Toolkit
Download Toolkit-at-a-Glance
The Stronger Together Toolkit shares the stories and lessons learned from 16 communities that are part of the joint First Nations-municipal Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI), a program jointly delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and Cando.
Table of contents
Acknowledgements and information
About us
Chapter 1: Introduction
Overview
Audience
The CEDI communities
How to use the Toolkit
Chapter 2: What communities need to know about joint First Nations-municipal CED
1 What is community economic development (CED)?
2 What is joint First Nations-municipal CED?
3 How should communities choose their partners?
4 How can communities build a strong relationship?
5 Who should be involved in the process?
6 What is a relationship agreement and why is it important?
7 What structures are needed for joint governance and decision making?
8 What is different about joint planning and decision making?
9 What are some examples of joint CED initiatives?
10 How do community partners select a joint CED initiative to work on?
11 What is a joint CED strategy?
Chapter 3: A guide to joint First Nations-municipal CED
Get ready
Stage A: Connect
Stage B: Vision
Stage C: Decide
Stage D: Act
Sustaining the relationship
Chapter 4: Tools, handouts and workshop agendas
Tool #1: Assess readiness for joint CED
Tool #2: Write an invitation letter
Tool #3: Plan and manage a joint workshop
Tool #4: Sample agenda for workshop #1: Connect
Tool #5: Dialogue Principles
Tool #6: First Nations and municipal governance and legislation
Tool #7: Council resolution template
Tool #8: Sample agenda for workshop #2: Vision
Tool #9: Sample Friendship Accords
Tool #10: Joint key messages
Tool #11: Sample agenda for workshop #3: Prioritize
Tool #12: Joint SWOT analysis
Tool #13: Prioritize joint CED options
Tool #14: Scope vision, actions and values
Tool #15: Sample agenda for workshop #4: Work plan
Tool #16: Joint work plan template
Tool #17: Joint governance terms of reference template
Tool #18: Conduct a relationship check-in
Chapter 5: Case studies from the CEDI communities
Sawridge First Nation, Town of Slave Lake and Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No 124, Alberta
Eagle Village First Nation, Town of Témiscaming and Municipality of Kipawa, Quebec
Appendices
Appendix A: Resources
Community economic development
Appendix B: A guide to building strong First Nations-municipal relationships
Collaborating with First Nations: A resource for municipal officials
Collaborating effectively with municipal governments: A resource for First Nations
Fostering strong relationships
Appendix C: Key milestones in First Nations-Canada relations
Appendix D: Glossary and list of acronyms
