Using Official Community Plans to Support Reconciliation
At the beginning of June, I presented at the Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC) Annual Conference with Anwen Rees on research we are currently conducting with Dr Andreanne Doyon. Our study sought to better understand the state of reconciliation planning in BC and the role that municipalities play in reconciliation. We wanted to learn if Official Community Plans (OCPs) support reconciliation efforts, and if they do, how and in what context. Our research highlights the ways planners can use the tools they have available to them right now to act in solidarity with local Nations and urban Indigenous Peoples.
We decided to complete this work because:
There is a lack of empirical work about how reconciliation is being implemented right now in practice.
My master’s research found that no OCPs in the Upper Columbia region included how they were contributing to reconciliation or building relationships with Indigenous Peoples.
Reconciliation dialogue is often not connected to the land. OCPs are long-range plans used by municipalities to think about the land and connections to the community. They set the basis for tools with legislative power including zoning, development permit areas, and urban containment boundaries.
Currently, there is no guidance for how OCPs can support reconciliation efforts meaning this work is done on an ad-hoc basis and varies between municipalities.
It is our hope to shift the narrative and provide tangible opportunities for municipalities to advance reconciliation efforts. In the Fall, we will be publishing a research brief for planners to implement some of the recommendations and tools we found. If you have any interest in chatting more about this research, please get in touch at moe @ moenadeau.com.
