Item - 2022.EX31.1

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the Reconciliation Action Plan 2022-2032 in Attachment 1 to the report (March 16, 2022) from the City Manager, as amended by Recommendations 2 and 3 below, as a guide to future discussions which will result in further recommendations to Council.

2. City Council amend Action 2, Enhance Indigenous Education, of the Reconciliation Action Plan in Attachment 1 to the report (March 16, 2022) from the City Manager, to include the Toronto Police Service in the list of agencies.

3. City Council amend Action 12, Implement the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, of the Reconciliation Action Plan in Attachment 1 to the report (March 16, 2022) from the City Manager, to include the Toronto Police Service in the list of agencies and to acknowledge incarcerated Indigenous women.

4. City Council direct the City Manager to ensure that City staff work towards the City's implementation of the following Strategic Actions contained within the Reconciliation Action Plan 2022-2032, in accordance with the Reconciliation Action Plan 2022 Year One Work Plan, attached as Attachment 2 to the report (March 16, 2022) from the City Manager, which guides implementation of the strategic actions in the first year:

a. Actions to Restore Truth

1. Conduct City-wide Reconciliation Audits;

2. Enhance Indigenous Education; 

3. Apologize to the Métis; and

4. Establish a Commitment to Reconciliation with Businesses and Organizations.

b. Actions to Right Relations and Share Power

5. Improve Relationships with Treaty and Territorial Partners;

6. Improve Relationships with Indigenous Organizations;

7. Enhance Indigenous Civic Engagement; and

8. Advocate for Indigenous Peoples to Provincial and Federal Governments.

c. Actions for Justice

9. Address Racism;  

10. Promote Prosperity;

11. Improve Community Safety and Well-being;

12. Implement the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG);

13. Support Indigenous Health and Well-being;

14. Increase Access to Affordable Housing;

15. Support Indigenous Place-keeping;

16. Celebrate Indigenous Arts and Culture;

17. Support the Revitalization of Indigenous Languages;  

18. Improve Access to Traditional Foods and Medicines; and

19. Return Land and Stewardship Rights. 

d. Actions to Make Financial Reparations

20. Improve Indigenous Economic Development;

21. Decolonize Honoraria Practices;  

22. Enhance Indigenous Recruitment and Retention within Toronto Public Service; and

23. Provide Sustainable Fiscal Supports for Reconciliation.

5. City Council direct the City Manager to work towards implementing the Actions set out in Recommendation 4 above in consultation with Division Heads and the City Solicitor as appropriate, and bring forward future reports to City Council for consideration and direction.

6. City Council direct the Director, Indigenous Affairs Office, to ensure implementation of the following Actions for Indigenous Affairs Office:

a. Advocate for Indigenous Peoples within the City of Toronto;

b. Increase Indigenous Community Engagement;

c. Enhance Communication between Indigenous Communities and City Divisions;

d. Support Capacity within the Toronto Public Service; and

e. Implement Accountability Processes.

7. City Council acknowledge that colonialism, forced assimilation, theft of lands and knowledge and many other harms perpetuated by governments have resulted in grave injustices and inequities for Indigenous People in Canada.

8. City Council acknowledge the City's role in contributing to the militarized action against Métis people in the 1880s and request the Mayor to apologize on behalf of the City of Toronto.

9. City Council direct the Director, Indigenous Affairs Office to report to City Council bi-annually (every two calendar years) during the term of the Reconciliation Action Plan 2022-2032 on the progress and status of the implementation of the Reconciliation Action Plan 2022-2032, as well to provide any recommended changes to the Reconciliation Action Plan, including the Strategic Actions, reflecting Indigenous community needs or priorities.

10. City Council request the City Manager to direct the Director, Indigenous Affairs Office to consult with Division Heads in determining an appropriate approach to engagement and potential accountability mechanisms for the City's implementation of the Reconciliation Action Plan.

11. City Council direct the Boards of City Service Agencies (excepting the Toronto Library Board and the Toronto Police Services Board) to:

a. adopt the values and principles set out in Attachment 3 to the report (March 16, 2022) from the City Manager as a guide for future reconciliation efforts; and

b. submit to the Indigenous Affairs Office every two years, details of the work being undertaken for and with Indigenous People and organizations in Toronto, as input into the Indigenous Affairs Office bi-annual reporting to City Council.

12. City Council request the Toronto Police Services Board, the Toronto Library Board and all City Corporations to commit to reconciliation efforts guided by the values and principles set out in Attachment 3 to the report (March 16, 2022) from the City Manager and consider bi-annual reporting by staff of these organizations on the work being undertaken to their respective Boards.

13. City Council direct the City Manager to request the Director, Indigenous Affairs Office to undertake engagement to determine a different name for the Reconciliation Action Plan 2022-2032 and an appropriate ceremony to mark the beginning of the implementation of the Reconciliation Action Plan 2022-2032.

14. City Council direct the City Manager to work with the Toronto Police Services Board and the Toronto Police Chief on developing accountability measures for the implementation of the actions in the Reconciliation Action Plan, including Action 1 (Reconciliation Audit), Action 2 (Education) and Action 12 (National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls).

15. City Council request the City Manager to direct the Director, Indigenous Affairs, to consult with Division Heads and the Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Committee on the development of accountability measures for the Reconciliation Action Plan and report twice yearly to the Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Committee on the development and implementation of accountability measures.

16. City Council request the City Manager to direct City staff from the appropriate City Divisions, to consider Indigenous healing lodges and recognize their benefits and values, while developing and reviewing City by-laws, policies and processes.

17. City Council request the Director, Indigenous Affairs Office to consult Indigenous communities and the Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Committee on the creation of a separate advisory committee or other appropriate body or process to help create robust accountability on the part of the City with respect to the implementation of the Reconciliation Action Plan 2022-2032 and report back to the Executive Committee with a recommendation in the second quarter of 2022.

Indigenous People have been living on the territory of what is now known as Toronto for thousands of years. Today, Toronto has one of the largest and long-standing urban Indigenous populations in Canada - by some estimates between 70,000 and 100,000 First Nation, Métis and Inuit people. The Anishnabeg, the Haudenosaunee, the Chippewa, and the Seneca Peoples thrived here long before Europeans arrived, settled and colonized these lands,

Since colonization, Indigenous People have experienced many traumas, including displacement from their land, erasure of language and culture, residential schools, and systemic racism at every level of government and institution. The impacts of these traumas are present today, and are evidenced in the higher rates of houselessness, violence, suicide and poverty. Despite this, Indigenous People have shown incredible resilience and strength.

While the City of Toronto has made efforts over the past 10 years to improve relationships with Indigenous People, including statements of commitment to advance the calls to action and calls to justice from key inquiries, the City must do more to advance truth and reconciliation. The City must have concrete actions, processes that ensure accountability to Indigenous community members and organizations and commit resources to achieve these goals. The Reconciliation Action Plan (the Plan) is intended to do just that.

This report transmits the Plan to City Council. The Plan sets out a 10 year strategy that will be a guide for advancing truth, justice and reconciliation with Indigenous People in the City of Toronto.

This report sets out the context for the Plan and summarizes the actions contained therein. It also provides a summary of the engagement that was undertaken with Indigenous leaders and community members, and City staff in the development of the Plan.

The Reconciliation Action Plan is a living document and will continue to grow and evolve as needed in order to respond to changing needs of Indigenous communities in Toronto. As the relationship between the City and Indigenous communities in Toronto strengthens, the Plan may be adapted and reinterpreted. Indigenous community members will be partners throughout this process. Where required, updates to this Action Plan will be reported to City Council for adoption.

At its meeting on March 8, 2022, the Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Committee considered Item AA16.1 and made recommendations to City Council.