RECENT PROJECTS

Since our inception in 2002, PACTeam Canada Inc. has successfully completed more than 50 projects for more than 30 clients, the majority of whom are repeat clients. Some of our projects are described below:

  1. Planning for Affordable Housing, Sustainability and Services
  2. Community Mapping: A Tool for Human Service Delivery Planning
  3. Populations, Change & Employment
  4. People, Process & Politics: Integrated Regional Planning
  5. Development Activities, Community Capacity & Consultation
  6. Ducks, People & Protection
  7. Athabasca Denesuline, Special Places and Protection
  8. Aboriginal Rights, Negotiations and Resource Management
  9. Forest Certification, Conservation, & Aboriginal People
  10. Traditional Knowledge Mapping and Land Use Planning
  11. Indian Residential Schools Negotiations
  12. Aboriginal Trapping Practices and Legal Issues

Planning for Affordable Housing, Sustainability and Services

The Edmonton Joint Planning Committee on Housing (EJPCOH) represents three levels of government, public and private sector stakeholders, and community representatives. PACTeam Canada worked with the EJPCOH to:

This involved PACTeam Canada Inc. conducting a literature review of existing community plans, affordable housing/homelessness studies and housing facility inventories; the development of a research methodology that defined the types of housing facilities and services utilised by an array of user groups. A large database of facilities and services across Edmonton has resulted from the extensive data collection and interview process. Sensitive information relating to safe houses and NIMBY issues were recognised and addressed to ensure that organizations would participate in the study. The basic housing need analysis, combined with knowledge of the geographic distribution of housing facilities and services for low-income and homeless populations, is a powerful tool for planning and developing future housing and services.    ↑ top


Community Mapping: A Tool for Human Service Delivery Planning

In a field as complex and multi-faceted as human service delivery having good, relevant, accurate and accessible information is vital, particularly in the planning and development of new services.

In the spring of 2005, the Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) offices from the communities of Redwater, Bon Accord, Gibbons, Morinville, Fort Saskatchewan and Sturgeon County, along with the Edmonton Garrison Military Family Resource Centre and the Alberta Child and Family Services offices in Morinville and Fort Saskatchewan formed a partnership to address the mutual challenges they face and to approach human service delivery more collaboratively. The partnership opted to undertake a community mapping project to develop a baseline of information for use in identifying resources and service gaps and in developing future services.

PACTeam worked with the project partners to determine what was to be collected and mapped, to develop statistical profiles of the study area and to develop an inventory of human services available in the region. This information was then presented in a series of maps. In addition, PACTeam Canada developed a digital map viewer to enable the partners to use and customize the information more readily.    ↑ top

Populations, Change & Employment

The Deh Cho Land Use Planning Committee is responsible for developing a land use plan for the Deh Cho territory of Canada's Northwest Territories, pursuant to the Deh Cho Interim Measures Agreement. PACTeam Canada conducted a study of the job creation needs for the region, under various scenarios. Included in this analysis were the compilation of an extensive statistical profile for each community in the Deh Cho territory and a literature review of current and planned economic development activities and associated training opportunities for local people. This information will contribute to the development of a land use plan for the Deh Cho territory.    ↑ top

People, Process & Politics: Integrated Regional Planning

PACTeam Canada Inc. members have been intimately involved innovative regional planning processes in Northern Alberta, the Sahtu Region of the Northwest Territories and the Athabasca region of northern Saskatchewan. These processes involved communities, people, governments, industry and their inherent politics and interests. Identifying best practices and appropriate resolution of conflict issues was accomplished through a variety of workshops, interviews, case studies (newsletters), research activities, and with interactions with subject matter specialists.

In Northern Alberta, PACTeam has been working with the local First Nations as they participate in the Government of Alberta's Land Use Planning Framework consultation initiative. We have assisted our clients in articulating their vision related to land and resource development and protection within their traditional territories; in suggesting adaptations to the framework to incorporate this vision; and in liaising with government.

In the Sahtu Region the goal of the Sahtu Land Use Planning Board is to ensure the participation of land claim beneficiaries, local residents and all Canadians in the process and in the economy, while ensuring the protection of communities and cultural, historic and ecologically significant sites, places and values. Planning for the area's significant resources and values, which include oil, gas, wildlife and cultural values, results from the provisions of a comprehensive land claim agreement.

Building on the earlier involvement of PACTeam partners, we have participated in the development of this land use plan, including data collection (including socio-demographic profiles for five communities), policy development, institution and community capacity building, technical advice, process monitoring and evaluation as well as communications and extension.

In the Athabasca Region of northern Saskatchewan, the Athabasca Interim Land Use Planning Advisory Panel (AIAP) is tasked with developing a regional land use plan. The Panel consists of representatives of government, conservation NGOs, the mining and tourism industries, seven local communities and the Athabasca Denesuline.

Members of PACTeam have been intimately involved in the land use planning process, working with the technical planning team, facilitating panel meetings, compiling and analysing biophysical and traditional land use and occupancy information, reviewing existing legislation, developing policies and best practices, and in communications initiatives.    ↑ top

Development Activities, Community Capacity & Consultation

In 2003 the Athabasca Denesuline Nations of Fond du Lac, Black Lake and Hatchet Lake signed and Interim Measures Agreement (IMA) with the Government of Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories. The Athabasca Denesuline now have the opportunity to review and comment on development applications proposed on a portion of their traditional territory before the licenses or permits are issued. PACTeam Canada Inc. designed a review process that would enable local community people to effectively review and provide meaningful feedback on the applications. Specifically the programme involved:

To date approximately 200 development proposals for a variety of mining, tourism and other land/water uses have been reviewed and detailed submissions made to the proponent and/or the responsible regulatory authority.     ↑ top

Ducks, People & Protection

Since the spring of 2002, PACTeam Partners have worked with the community of Fort Good Hope in the Northwest Territories, Ducks Unlimited and Government, to seek protection of the Ramparts River and Wetlands area near Fort Good Hope. This area hosts a significant waterfowl population and cultural and heritage values. So far, the work involved three phases:

We look forward to working with our partners to secure appropriate, long-term protection for the site and its values.    ↑ top

Athabasca Denesuline, Special Places and Protection

The Athabasca Denesuline have since time immemorial, used and occupied lands that correspond to the range of the Beverly-Qamanirjuaq caribou herds. Their relationship with these caribou herds spans 1000s of years. Present day communities include the Black Lake, Hatchet Lake, and Fond du Lac First Nations.

Within the Province of Saskatchewan and in the southeastern Northwest Territories and southern Nunavut, a portion of the Athabasca Denesuline traditional territory, they have a vision of becoming the leader in the designation of protected areas and in the sustainable development of the land and resources. The Denesuline hope to maintain their cultural identity and strengthen their communities by (1) Protecting the caribou and their habitats; (2) Incorporating Denesuline traditional land use and ecological knowledge into the land management process; (3) Ensuring that the guiding principles of protected area planning include (a) sustaining biodiversity across the landscape, (b) maintaining connectivity corridors and (c) buffering sensitive areas; and, (4) applying the principles of sustainable development to the working land base.

PACTeam Canada Inc. has assisted the Athabasca Denesuline as they move towards their conservation goals. In particular we have completed the following works:

We will continue to support the Athabasca Denesuline as they face the many challenges and opportunities related to their conservation and land use planning activities. ↑ top

Aboriginal Rights, Negotiations and Resource Management

The Athabasca Denesuline consists of the Black Lake, Hatchet Lake, and Fond du Lac First Nations. While their present day communities are located in northern Saskatchewan, their traditional territory parallels the ranges of the Beverly-Qamanirjuaq (BQ) caribou herds upon which they depend. While the Athabasca Denesuline signed Treaties with the Crown in the late 19th and early 20th century, legal uncertainty remains over whether the Crown acquired clear title to traditional Denesuline lands north of 60° in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The Athabasca Denesuline and Canada agreed to set aside litigation and negotiate a resolution to the uncertainty as to what their treaty harvesting and other rights are north of the 60th parallel.

PACTeam Canada Inc. has worked with the Athabasca Denesuline Negotiation Team as technical advisors since 2002. During the past seven years we have completed a number of assignments to support the Denesuline in their discussions with government including:


Forest Certification, Conservation, & Aboriginal People

In the summer of 2004 PACTeam was contracted by the World Wildlife Fund to assist Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries in acquiring certification from the Forest Stewardship Council under its National Boreal Standard. Specifically, we were tasked with conducting a preliminary assessment of the presence of high conservation values important to meeting the basic needs of Aboriginal people and those essential to maintaining their cultural identity.

Using publicly available information, PACTeam conducted research into the history and traditional land use of the Aboriginal people living in or dependent on the Alberta-Pacific forest management agreement area. Informal discussions with various First Nations and NGOs were conducted to review the initial findings. Detailed advice was offered concerning how to proceed, including concrete steps on how to begin mapping values and how to engage local communities in the assessment process.    ↑ top

Traditional Knowledge Mapping and Land Use Planning

PACTeam has been involved in the collection, mapping, analysis and use of traditional land use and occupancy (TLU) and traditional ecological knowledge information for a large number of projects throughout western and northern Canada for purposes that include land use planning, environmental and regulatory reviews, land claims and educational purposes.

In Alberta, the Mikisew Cree First Nation is undertaking TLU studies to support development impact assessments, land use planning, treaty land entitlement negotiations and education initiatives. We have worked with the mikisew Cree to design suitable projects; to collect, process and map traditional land use and occupancy information; and to liaise with other specialists to ensure the products meet with the objectives.

In Saskatchewan, PACTeam worked with the Athabasca Interim Land Use Planning Panel, a community-Government-Industry entity, and the results of a comprehensive TLU study to generate maps illustrating people's TLU, and a report detailing the project results; in a follow-up PACTeam also headed the analysis of interview transcripts to draw out details for use in planning. PACTeam also consulted with communities and government about the results and explored the integration of this information into the region's land use plan.

In the Northwest Territories, PACTeam has been involved with a regional planning process, protected area initiatives and development impact assessments, all of which have involved the collection, analysis and use of TLU information, and used it in the development of relevant land use plans, in the influencing of environmental management/regulation and with consultation initiatives.

In Nunavut, PACTeam has designed, implemented and reported on traditional land use and occupancy studies to aid in land claim negotiations including boundary establishment, land identification and protected areas development.    ↑ top

Indian Residential Schools Negotiations

The Office of Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada is the responsible for the federal government aspects of residential school related negotiations to settle the long standing grievances between First Nations people and the residential school system of the past.. As a researcher for the Department, PACTeam located, reviewed, copied, and organised archival documents for use by the Department of Justice. In order to meet the standards of the law and for ease of use in court proceedings, the department dictated strict guidelines for the preparation of document collections. We apply many of these guidelines to other projects involving large document collections.    ↑ top

Aboriginal Trapping Practices and Legal Issues

Aboriginal trappers from Northern Saskatchewan were charged with offences under the Northwest Territories Wildlife Act. Since litigation is ongoing in the Federal Court of Canada about the extent of the trapper's rights north of the 60th parallel, the parties agreed to an alternative dispute resolution process. PACTeam Canada Inc. assisted in fulfilling the terms of this diversion agreement by completing a study that looked at:
     i) traditional trapping practices;
     ii) caribou and wolf conservation: needs and measures;
     iii) traditional use of caribou and wolf.

PACTeam researched Denesuline perspectives on these topics through a review of published literature and group interviews within Aboriginal communities. The discussion was framed within a description of the regulatory regime and conservation status. The report highlights Denesuline conservation management principles, language and practices that developed over their long-term use and occupation of the Beverly-Qamanirjuaq Caribou range.   ↑ top