Community land-use planning on First Nations reserves and the influence of land tenure: A case study with the Penticton Indian Band.

  Tenure, the distribution of resource rights and responsibilities, is a central issue for First Nations’ management of lands and resources. The focus of this research project is the historical and contemporary land management implications of policy that created individualized land tenures on First Nations reserves. This project is in partnership with the Penticton Indian Band community […]

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Restoring native grassland function in urban environment; implications for soil-plant relations

Fescue prairie has reduced in Western Canada, because of human activities including housing development and land clearing. Urban development can impact natural ecosystems by eliminating the majority of native species, thus changing the richness and composition of the species. Strategic restoration efforts may reduce the effects of urban expansion on native ecosystem by protecting natural […]

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Estimating the Impacts of Oil Tanker Spills on Indigenous Cultures: A Case Study of the Potential Effects from the Northern Gateway Project on Coastal First Nations

  The study will evaluate potential impacts of a catastrophic oil spill associated with tanker traffic from the proposed Northern Gateway Project on Coastal First Nations commercial and traditional activities. Main objectives of the study include determining and quantifying both economic initiatives and traditional activities of Coastal First Nations, evaluating environmental impacts of an oil […]

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An analysis of the potential for Nova Scotia’s COMFIT program’s to improve the province’s energy security

To meet the targets set out in Nova Scotia’s Renewable Electricity Plan (REP) on April 2010, the province is establishing a Community Feed-In-Tariffs (COMFIT) program, which sets out to encourage communities to develop renewable energy projects. The REP stipulates that 100 megawatts of renewable electricity projects are to be supplied through COMFIT. The proposed research […]

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Community Capital Tool Pilot Project in the District of Sechelt

  This project will test pilot the newly developed Community Capital Tool (CCT) in the District of Sechelt. The CCT has been designed to guide and evaluate municipal level community development initiatives and decisions through a sustainability lens. In Sechelt the CCT will be used to assess the community’s newly adopted Sustainability Action Plan to […]

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Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Action Plan (SNAP) — Program Evaluation and Lessons Learned for Accelerating Environmental Improvement in Established Neighbourhoods

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) has launched a series of pilot Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Action Plan (SNAP) projects in the Greater Toronto Area. Dillon Consulting is a lead consultant in Phase 3 of one of the pilot projects, the County Court SNAP in Brampton, Ontario. The SNAPs bring together residents, businesses, community groups and […]

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Climate change adaptation planning for the Greater Peterborough Area

The proposed research project will result in the development of a background and scoping document to inform and assist climate change adaptation planning for the City of Peterborough and Peterborough County. It will be directed with the involvement and guidance of a municipal working group. The project will involve a literature review of relevant articles […]

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Forest Stewardship Group Development: Part II

The internship will involve further research, development and the implementation of up to four of the recommendations provided in the previous internship term, as outlined a recently completed report to Ecotrust Canada, titled ‘Draft Summary Report, ‘Forest Stewardship Council Group Certification Program: Next Steps’ (December 2012). The first step will be to work on the […]

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Laneway Revitalization in Canada: Possibilities, Challenges & Solutions

This partnership between Simon Fraser’s Centre for Sustainable Community Development (represented by Mark Roseland and Larissa Ardis) and Vernacular Design is hoped to be the first of many between Vernacular and sustainability researchers in academia for the advancement of community development. It will produce a research report and related communications products that help the public, […]

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