Day 3
8:00 - 8:30 am
Continental Breakfast
8:30 - 9:30 am
Thunder Bay & Area Food Strategy - Courtney Strutt & Sarah Siska
Building an Emergency Food Plan: Lessons Learned from Thunder Bay, Ontario
In Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada a municipal level Emergency Food Plan (EFP) has been developed through a network-based, civil society initiative that addresses dignified food access during medium to large-scale emergencies. Grounded in community-based research, the EFP was designed through an ongoing process of collaboration amongst key food access actors in the community to ensure preparedness when the next emergency strikes, whether that is a flood, fire, or severe heat/cold event. As the first municipally-endorsed plan of its kind in Canada, the EFP raises crucial, previously unaddressed questions about emergency food access: where does the capacity and infrastructure for response come from, who pays for it, and how do we ensure vulnerable people have their needs met with dignity?
This presentation will share an overview of how the EFP was created, its most current evolution, and lessons learned in the process of creating, maintaining, and updating the plan that are relevant to other practitioners.
Speaker bios
Courtney Strutt - Emergency Food Plan Coordinator, Thunder Bay + Area Food Strategy
Courtney Strutt has been working in the field of community-based research and program development for over 15 years with a focus in education, Indigenous community development, and food systems work in the era of climate change. These areas of focus coalesced in her role as the Emergency Food Plan Coordinator with the Thunder Bay + Area Food Strategy, where she has guided the development of a collaborative community-led Emergency Food Plan for Thunder Bay, the first of its kind in the city.
Sarah Siska - Coordinator, Thunder Bay + Area Food Strategy
Sarah Siska has experience in community food systems work through grassroots food organizing and as a previous member of the Vancouver Food Policy Council. Her recently completed master’s thesis looked at justice-oriented food system transformation around the Lake Superior watershed. She is the current coordinator of the Thunder Bay + Area Food Strategy.
9:30 -10:30 am
Two Breakout Sessions:
Indigenous Services Canada - Cheri Roy, R.N., BScN., MPH
Strengthening Responses during Social Emergencies
This session will explore the role of Health Emergency Management (HEM) in responding to social and health crises within First Nations communities, with a particular focus on First Nation communities in Northwestern Ontario. The presentation will outline the framework for managing social emergencies—events that threaten human health, life, or community well-being, and exceed local capacities. Key topics include crisis management, the process of requesting emergency assistance, declaring a state of emergency, and coordinated health responses.
Cheri Roy will discuss the prevalence of social emergencies, such as opioid crises and mental health challenges, and provide a case study showcasing community experiences and resilience. The session will also highlight the importance of partnerships between Indigenous communities, governments, and external agencies in ensuring culturally relevant and effective emergency responses. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of strategies for addressing social emergencies in First Nations communities and learn about the supports available for effective, culturally sensitive crisis management.
Speaker bio
Cheri Roy, R.N., BScN., MPH – Manager, Policy Development/Senior Policy Advisor, Health Emergency Management, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Ontario Region
Cheri Roy is Odawa from Sheshegwaning First Nation and part of the Anishinabek Nation. She is a graduate of Laurentian University in the Northeastern Ontario Collaborative Nursing Program. Cheri completed her Master of Public Health with a Nursing Specialization from Lakehead University. Cheri has 30 years of community health and social experience working in First Nation communities in various capacities. Currently, Cheri is the Manager, Policy Development and Senior Policy Advisor Health Emergency Management with Indigenous Services Canada - First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Ontario Region. Cheri is a member of the Health System and Recovery Transformation Table to represent Indigenous Services Canada. The Health System Recovery and Transformation Table will be the health system oversight structure for the Northeast and Northwest Regions. Ontario Health is evolving its current regional table format into a Health System Recovery and Transformation structure focusing on recovery and rebuilding, leveraging the lessons learned to initiate transformation, while remaining vigilant in emergency management and preparedness.
Cheri has been actively involved as Co-Chair and Chair of Aboriginal Employees Network (AEN) until 2018. She was one of the driving forces, along with other AEN members and FNIHB employees, in the development and implementation of the Aboriginal Peoples Employment Program. Additionally, Cheri has gained tremendous knowledge and experience in the areas of health education, health emergency management, social emergencies, health information systems, health research, health promotion and disease prevention initiatives while serving as a member of various local, regional and national advisory committees and working groups.
Ministry of Natural Resources - Sarah Allen
Wildland Fire Risk Mitigation and Community Planning
TBD
Speaker bio
Sarah Allen is the Provincial Coordinator for the Mitigation and Partnerships Unit in Aviation, Forest Fire, and Emergency Services Branch of the MNR. Sarah began her career with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in 2006. Prior to moving to AFFES, Sarah was the A/Policy Specialist for Species at Risk Branch and the Resource Liaison Specialist with the MNRF Timmins District. She started with AFFES in 2009 in Sudbury as the Regional Fire Advisor where she was responsible for leading the FireSmart, Community Wildfire Protection Plan, and fire suppression agreement programs and was involved in the development of the Wildland Fire Management Strategy. In 2016, Sarah began working in Sault Ste Marie as the Provincial Fire Prevention and Education Program Advisor where she led the fire prevention and compliance program for AFFES. She is a Type 1 Plans Chief with experience working on many out of province deployments, and over the past 12 years worked on some of Ontario’s most recent notable fires. Sarah also holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Forestry, as well as a Masters of Science in Forestry from Lakehead University. In her personal time, Sarah was in the dog sled sprint racing circuit, running a 6-dog team. She is also an avid angler and hunter and enjoys spending time training her German Shorthair Pointers for upland bird hunting in the pheasant fields.
10:30 - 10:45 am
Break
10:45 - 11:30 am
Canadian Disaster Response Organization - Dr. Campbell Page
Strategic Trauma-Informed and Resilience-Focused Responses to Emergencies
With an emphasis on First Nations and other Indigenous communities Campbell will focus on the major importance of using pre-emergency preparation and training to prevent and mitigate the psychological consequences of emergency responses. He will emphasize how, through recognizing and honouring "We are All Treaty People", Indigenous People must lead the way, and how non-indigenous communities will also benefit from Treaty based, trauma-informed, resiliency-focused (TIRF) disaster response. CDRO is integrating TIRF into strategic disaster response leadership. We are here to help, in this, and all areas of strategic disaster response leadership.
Speaker bio
Neibow Wabusk, Campbell Page, is of Môsonîw Ililiw decent through his maternal Alisappi and Archibald family from Moose Factory. Like his father was, he is also a member of the Red River Métis Nation with roots in the Peguis First Nation. Campbell believes we are all kin, that we have responsibilities to one another and all our relatives. It is traditional Cree teachings that are healing his own trauma and they play an important role in who he is. He is trained as an Indigenous Healer. He holds advanced degrees and training in psychotherapy, community engagement, and multicultural psycho-spiritual care. His present practice is focused on Indigenous-centred psychotherapy for Indigenous people. He also serves as an Indigenous consultant, with CDRO. He is a CDRO Board member as the Indigenous Peoples Liaison.
11:30 - Noon
Closing Remarks