City advances economic partnership with Garden River

Sault Ste. Marie City Council is expected to move ahead next week with an economic collaboration with Garden River First Nation.

First announced on Feb. 15, the partnership is one of eight in Canada aimed at supporting First Nations and neighbouring municipalities in developing capacity for long-term planning for joint community economic development and land use.

The following is the full text of the resolution to be presented to city council on Tuesday:

Partnership with Garden River First Nation in CEDI program

Mover: Coun. L. Vezeau-Allen
Seconder: Coun. A. Caputo

Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie intends to improve intergovernmental relations with Ketegaunseebee (Garden River First Nation) and enter into a community-to-community relationship with Garden River First Nation; and

Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie commits the participation of the community in the First Nation – Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI) from November 24, 2022 until January 2025; and

Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie City Council has appointed Mayor Matthew Shoemaker as their elected official working group champion and Coun. Angela Caputo as the alternate; and

Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie has appointed deputy chief administrative officer Tom Vair and director of economic development Rick Van Staveren as their staff working group champions; and

Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie commits to the following resources in collaboration with the Garden River First Nation through a collaborative joint working group:

• elected and staff working group champions meet monthly with the Garden River First Nation Working Group champions as a joint working group throughout the CEDI process
• co-ordinate a contingency plan for the CEDI working group champions should a designated person leave their position prior to January 2025
• organize and participate in five 1-1.5-day joint workshops; ensuring there is representation of the elected officials, senior administration, economic development and land management/planning staff from each community at each workshop
• organize ongoing community engagement to keep the community informed about CEDI program participation, partnership with Garden River First Nation and joint community economic development initiatives
• agree to maintain communication with CEDI staff and to assist with coordinating the logistics of community visits, strategic meetings and workshops, as appropriate
• provide in-kind and financial resources required to hold the meetings
• provide additional staff time and support as required by the joint working group
• actively participate in the planning for and management of the jointly accessed capacity building grant

Now therefore be it resolved that the City of Sault Ste. Marie supports the participation in First Nation-Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI) from November 24, 2022 until January 2025