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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Resources and Information

In the university's journey towards reconciliation, it is important that we have educational tools to help us treat Indigenous guests and the communities around us with respect. 

Acknowledge the Traditional Territory

DOWNLOAD THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT INFORMATION SHEET (PDF)

Acknowledging the traditional territory is one way to express our respect, gratitude and appreciation for the Indigenous people who have inhabited and continue to live on the land we have been welcomed to share. It is recognition of their presence both in the past and the present. Recognition helps to create a welcome and safe environment for Indigenous students, their families and community members. To learn more, visit the land acknowledgement page.

Host an Indigenous Guest

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDELINES FOR HOSTING AN INDIGENOUS GUEST (PDF)

When booking an Indigenous guest, Indigenous Education and Cultural Services is available to help guide the process and suggest potential guests based on the needs outlined by the faculty, staff or student. In the university's journey towards reconciliation, it is important that we have educational tools to help us treat Indigenous guests and the communities around us with respect. 

Indigenous Education Advisory Circle

Download the Terms of Reference (PDF)

Ontario Tech University is committed to ensuring that decisions related to Indigenous education and scholarship at the university are informed and guided by the Indigenous communities which it serves. To this end, the Indigenous Education Advisory Circle (IEAC) provides guidance to the university on its current goals for Indigenous student enrolment, retention and support, and its efforts to enhance awareness of Indigenous history and celebrate Indigenous cultures and ways of knowing.

In accordance with the Aboriginal Education Strategy set out by the Province of Ontario, the Indigenous Education Advisory Circle is responsible for ensuring that Indigenous people are appropriately engaged in decision making by the institution on relevant issues. Consistent with the terms of the strategy, the IEAC includes the Provost as a representative of the university's senior administration with a direct link to the President as well as Academic Council and the Board of Governors. For more information, download the Terms of Reference.

Other Resources

If you have been affected by the legacy of residential schools in Canada, support is available.

The Indigenous Cultural Advisor is available for traditional counselling supports. Contact Indigenous@ontariotechu.ca to make an appointment.  If you are in crisis or need immediate support, contact:

  • National Indian Residential School Crisis Line (24 Hour): 1.866.925.4419

Cancer Care Ontario

Indigenous Relationship and Cultural Safety Courses

Cancer Care Ontario has designed a series of online courses to assist individuals working with Indigenous peoples that provide knowledge about the history and culture of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people and communities.

Colour of Poverty, Colour of Change

We are all Treaty People

This informational resource provides a framework for understanding and developing good relations going forward to promote racial equity, human dignity and social justice. 

Deepening Knowledge

Indigenous Knowledge Resurgence and Education

The project is a part of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. Led by a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous faculty, students and staff, the Deepening Knowledge Project provides information about the history and perspectives of First Nations, Métis and Inuit and Native American cultures; information related to the issues of pressing concern to Indigenous peoples and their communities today; as well as curricula for teachers to incorporate this into teaching practice.