TRACK 1, DAY 2
Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge into Green Infrastructure
Thursday, March 27, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. | Hall A
ABSTRACT
Thunder Bay is quite isolated from “southern Ontario” being that we are almost 1,400 km away from Toronto. Our northern climate has not been a barrier to the implementation of Green Infrastructure facilities.
Thunder Bay has also been working towards reconciliation with local First Nations Groups. We would like to highlight a recent successful Green Infrastructure project that included significant First Nations consultation, and how Indigenous teachings were incorporated into a new community splash pad project.
This project also included constructing our second largest Green Infrastructure stormwater facility that helped to meet the First Nations community’s request to incorporate Water is Life teaching opportunities into this project.
The presentation will focus on the First Nations engagement and consultation, how Indigenous teachings and knowledge sharing opportunities were incorporated into this project, and a summary of the Green Infrastructure landscaping and engineering components that also served to address broader existing community flooding issues.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Aaron Ward, City of Thunder Bay
Aaron Ward is a Professional Engineer who spent the first half of his 20+year career in the private sector before moving the public sector in Thunder Bay in 2012. Like many public sector employees, he wears lots of hats, and each day’s work is different than the previous.
Although he changed roles recently at the City to become the Manager of the City’s Engineering Division, he spent 12 years being involved in all new development in the City, while also focusing on stormwater issues, including flooding, water quality, and building resiliency in the face of Climate Change.
Aaron also works with many community partners including government agencies and the private sector to promote, educate, and facilitate the installation of Green Infrastructure on private property across the community. He has dealt with stormwater and drainage issues so much across the City, that he was often referred to as the local “Puddle Police”!