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A close-up of a colourful bustle, part of an Indigenous man’s traditional regalia typically worn at a pow wow.

Building relationships with Ontario’s Indigenous communities

At Ontario Power Generation, we are committed to building and growing long-term, mutually beneficial working relationships with Indigenous communities near our current and future operations.

Explore how OPG works with Indigenous communities to create innovative partnerships.

In this section

OPG’s Indigenous Relations Policy

Our Indigenous Relations group helps to build these relationships in keeping with OPG’s Indigenous Relations Policy, first developed in 2007.

The policy sets out:

  • OPG’s objectives for respecting rights and interests.
  • Rules for developing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships with Indigenous communities.
  • Policies that require engaging in community relations and outreach.
  • Paths to providing capacity-building support, including employment and business contracting opportunities.

Our relationships are developed on a foundation of respect for the languages, customs, cultural institutions and rights of Indigenous communities in Ontario. Our goal is to build and preserve openness, transparency and trust.

Indigenous News
Our stories

OPG’s John Wesley Beaver awards recognize two future Indigenous leaders

Two promising Indigenous students were all smiles as they received OPG’s John Wesley Beaver Memorial Awards in early August.

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A Moose Cree student was all smiles during a recent Reading is Cool event at the local school.
Community

Nurturing a love of reading in Indigenous youth

Learn about OPG's reading programs for Indigenous youth in remote communities through summer reading camps and events like "Reading is Cool".

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Denise Hardy is an Indigenous Relations Advisor in OPG's Northwest Operations.
Our people

Spotlight on Denise Hardy, OPG Indigenous Relations Advisor

For Denise Hardy, bear sightings, fishing and being out in nature are just some of the fruits of living in northwest Ontario.

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Indigenous community initiatives

We’re committed to strengthening our relationships with Ontario's Indigenous communities.

Throughout the year, OPG participates in many initiatives as part of this goal.

One way we engage with Indigenous communities is through our Corporate Citizenship Program (CCP), which undertakes grass roots community initiatives/partnerships with organizations located close to our generating facilities. CCP funding focus areas include: education, environment and community initiatives.

Since 2006, OPG has supported Frontier College and the Lt. Governor’s Indigenous Youth Summer Reading Camp Program.

This provincial program helps build reading and computer literacy skills of youth/elementary students living in remote First Nations. The camp curriculum includes reading, writing and computer skill development, storytelling, music, and arts and crafts. The program incorporates traditional culture and learning.

As an extension of our support of the summer reading camp program, OPG staff host “Reading is Cool” events each summer, where OPG employees attend camp for a day and engage in reading, activities and mentoring with the participating campers.

OPG has supported the Little Native Hockey League Tournament (Little NHL) since 2009.

Since the tourney’s inaugural puck drop in the town of Espanola in 1971, the Little NHL event, has grown by leaps and bounds. Today, the event attracts more than 200 teams and 3,000 players, a far cry from the 17 teams that played in the first tournament.
Our support of this initiative highlights the important role sport plays in the development of youth by promoting physical fitness, self-confidence, respect, skill development, teamwork and sportsmanship.

Tournament sponsorship helps demonstrate OPG’s support of its First Nation partner communities, their tradition of hockey, and the development of Indigenous youth through sport.

Elephant Thoughts celebrates Indigenous culture while integrating both traditional and contemporary knowledge. It hosts science camps in communities across Canada, including northern Ontario, with the ultimate goal of empowering students and building science literacy.

Spearheaded by the Friends of Laura Secord community group, the First Nations Peace Monument was unveiled on Oct. 7, 2017, the 254th anniversary of the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which formed the basis of land claims of Indigenous peoples in Canada. The monument stands as a symbol of reconciliation and recognition of the important role First Nations played, and continue to play, in Canada’s history.

Student awards

Building relationships with Indigenous communities also means investing in their young people. We have developed several programs that encourage learning and will help to build a better tomorrow. These include:

  • John Wesley Beaver Memorial Award
  • Confederation College Negahneewin Incentive Award
  • Lakehead University Indigenous Award

For more information, visit our Student Awards page.