Welcome to the Shared Land Map

Shared Path Consultation Initiative, with the support of the Greenbelt Foundation, has developed this free educational tool to support learning related to Aboriginal and treaty rights holders in the Greater Golden Horseshoe and beyond. The goal of the Shared Land Map is to facilitate connection and communication between land use professionals and Indigenous rights and obligations holders in Ontario, supporting the development of positive working relationships.

Disclaimer

The Shared Land Map does not provide a comprehensive list of rights holders in any given geography. Participation in this tool is voluntary and not all Indigenous nations in Ontario have chosen to make use of this tool. The Shared Land Map is not intended to provide or constitute legal advice on section 35 rights or the duty to consult and accommodate, nor is it intended to replace direct communication, partnerships, or collaboration with Indigenous nations.

Having trouble using the Shared Land Map? Download the SLM User Manual

How is this different from other maps?

The Shared Land Map is different from other maps that attempt to provide information on Aboriginal and treaty rights because:

• Data and information on each Indigenous nation is provided by and controlled by that nation; and
• It encourages relationship-building with Indigenous nations beyond the legal duty to consult and accommodate.

Which Indigenous nations are currently using this tool?

We are in the midst of introducing this tool to many First Nations, so check back for updates. The following First Nations have profiles (thought they may not have completed them yet):

• Aamjiwnaang First Nation
• Moose Deer Point First Nation
• Saugeen Ojibway Nation
• Wasauksing First Nation

Shared Land Map: Stories from Walpole Island

The Shared Land Map project is not just about creating this tool to support consultation and relationship building- it as about having conversations with Indigenous Nations about their needs and perspectives and bringing these conversations to a broader audience.

What questions should I ask myself before to contacting a nation?

What is your motivation for starting a conversation with this nation?

What are you asking of them and what are you willing to provide in return?

Are there resources available on their website to help you learn about the nation before contacting them?

Are there specific instructions on their website about how and when they wish to be contacted? Is there a form, a consultation protocol, or other instructions you should follow before reaching out?

Why is there a Greenbelt layer?

The Greenbelt was introduced in 2005 to help shape the future of the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) region. The Greenbelt Plan identifies where urbanization should not occur in order to provide permanent protection to the agricultural land base and the ecological and hydrological features, areas and functions occurring on this landscape. Read full the Greenbelt Plan here. The Greenbelt Foundation provided funding for the Shared Land Map and has been a strong supporter of Shared Path’s work since 2018.

Why isn’t there a treaty layer?

The intent of this map is to support relationship building with both Indigenous nations who have treaty rights and those who do not.  First Nations can use this tool to indicate whether they have treaty rights and the relevant treaties, and to flag any notable issues with those treaties, for example, whether they are subject to an ongoing claim.

While understanding which treaties are relevant to your location is important, equally as important is understanding the context of how these treaties were negotiated and signed. For example, in some cases First Nations assert that the people who signed treaties were not authorized to do so. Some Nations have never signed any treaties and their territory is unceded. For First Nations who did sign treaties, their treaty rights are recognized and affirmed by Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.

To learn more about treaties, visit our Resource Database.

Treaties in Ontario have been mapped and are available in several locations including Native Land Digital and Ontario.ca

What resources are available to support engagement, consultation and accommodation?

Consulting and Accommodating First Nations in Canada: A Duty That Reaps Benefits by Dean Jacobs

Best Practices for Consultation and Accommodation: Moving to Informed Consent

Check out our Resource Database for more!

Where does the data for the layers come from?

Core background map: Built using OpenStreetMaps

Reserves: This data was sourced from the Open Government Canada datasets

Greenbelt: Greenbelt data was pulled from the Ontario Data Catalogue

Watershed and municipal boundaries data: Watershed and municipality data were sourced from the Ontario Geohub