Frequently Asked Questions

Saugeen Ojibway Nation, also known as SON, is comprised of the Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation and the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, and includes members living both on- and off-reserve. It is represented by a Joint Council.

SON’s Territory, Saukiing Anishnaabekiing, encompasses over 2 million acres, and stretches north to the top of the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula, east to the Nottawasaga River, south to the town of Arthur, west to Goderich, and includes large stretches of shoreline along Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.

Joint Council, also known as the Joint Chiefs and Councils or SON Joint Council, is made up of the Chiefs and Councils from the Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation and the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.
Joint Council meets regularly to discuss and make decisions on matters that affect the Territory. It provides overall direction and oversight to the SON Environment Office (EO), including setting priorities that guide the EO’s work to protect Saukiing Anishnaabekiing and uphold SON Rights, Interests, and jurisdiction.

Joint Council also works through Advisory Committees. These committees are made up of Joint Council members and focus on specific areas of work. They guide the EO departments by providing direction, supporting planning and implementation, and helping ensure work aligns with the Nation’s priorities.

The Environment Office was created by Joint Council on October 7th, 2004.

As Anishnaabek, we are guided by Anishnaabe law and our responsibility to be stewards of our land and water. The Saugeen Ojibway Nation Joint Council established the Environment Office to help fulfill this role. Through technical advice, assessments, and strategic guidance, the EO supports Joint Council in making informed decisions on matters that affect SON Rights, Interests, and jurisdiction in Saukiing Anishnaabekiing — including land use, resource extraction, and energy production. This work strengthens SON’s ability to protect the environment, uphold our stewardship responsibilities, and ensure that decisions reflect both Anishnaabe values and environmental responsibility.

The Environment Office is the technical body for Joint Council, providing advice, assessments, and strategic guidance to support informed decision-making on matters affecting SON Rights, Interests, and the lands and waters of the Territory. Our staff work with governments, proponents, and organizations operating in the Territory to ensure Saugeen Ojibway Nation is included in discussions and decisions affecting the Territory.

Our work spans environmental monitoring, resource and infrastructure review, archaeology, energy, and communications and outreach. Across these areas, we assess potential impacts, support consultation processes, protect SON’s Rights and Interests, and engage with community members through updates, reporting, and outreach.

Together, this work strengthens SON’s ability to exercise stewardship responsibilities and ensures decisions reflect both Anishnaabe values and environmental responsibility.

The Environment Office’s work is carried out through several key departments, each focused on specific areas of responsibility:

CWMP
Coastal Waters Monitoring Program (CWMP) works to understand, monitor, assess, connect with, and protect the nearshore aquatic environments of Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory, across Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.

Core Objectives:

• Establish a long-term ecological baseline for SON’s nearshore and coastal waters
• Support SON’s jurisdiction and informed decision-making using local monitoring data
• Connect community members to the environment and its changing health
• Incorporate ecological knowledge and community priorities into monitoring and analysis
• Provide long-term training and employment opportunities for SON members

Resources & Infrastructure
The Resource and Infrastructure department is the first point of contact for all development proposals within Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory. Our role is to assess the potential impacts of resource extraction and development on the environment and the SON way of life.

Core Objectives:

• Develop and implement consultation protocols under the direction of Joint Council
• Protect SON Rights and Interests throughout the Territory
• Review relevant legislation, policy, and proposed projects
• Ensure the Crown upholds its Duty to Consult and during licensing and approvals in the Territory
• Facilitate meaningful engagement with proponents to ensure SON values and concerns are addressed
• Promote respectful development that aligns with SON priorities and stewardship responsibilities

Archaeology (overseen by the R&I department)
The Archaeology team works to ensure that all archaeological activities within Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory meet both SON and provincial standards.

We proactively engage with municipalities, proponents, developers, and archaeological firms to ensure they understand their duty to consult with SON and to support respectful and informed processes.

Core Objectives:

• Monitor archaeological fieldwork throughout SON Territory
• Advocate for SON’s Rights & Interests
• Manage, protect, and catalog SON’s archaeological resources
• Review and respond to all inquiries in the Territory
• Work to repatriate artifacts from museums and private collections
• Provide archaeology training, workshops, gallery exhibits, and public events for SON Members

Energy
The Energy department reviews Energy project proposals in SON Territory and provides technical advice to leadership to help ensure the proponents meet their Duty to Consult obligations and SON’s Right and Interests are protected. Our work supports decision-making and promotes development that reflects community values.

Core Objectives:

• Advise Joint Council and Advisory Committee on energy-related matters
• Review energy proposals to assess potential impacts on SON Rights, interests, and the environment
• Uphold environmental stewardship through oversight and monitoring
• Hold proponents accountable to meaningful consultation and respectful engagement

Communications & Outreach
The Communications team develops clear, accessible materials to keep Saugeen Ojibway Nation members informed and engaged. A key part of our work is community engagement and outreach through events, meetings, and engagement that support knowledge-sharing on the Environment Office’s work and issues affecting the Territory.

Core Responsibilities:

• Lead engagement and outreach efforts
• Share updates on EO projects, programs, and environmental issues
• Manage external communications, including media and news outlets
• Manage community communications including newsletters and reports
• Maintain the EO website and social media platforms
• Ensure messaging aligns with SON values, priorities, and protocols

Visit our Contact page to view a list of our current staff.
 

The Saugeen Ojibway Nation Environment Office is not funded by Band dollars.
The Environment Office is funded through a combination of contribution agreements, and government and non-government grants. None of the funding for the Environment Office comes from either Saugeen or Nawash. 

The long-term goals of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation are to continue to assert and protect SON’s Aboriginal and Treaty rights across the Territory, and to strengthen SON’s presence and role in decisions affecting the lands, waters, and communities within the Territory.

Participating meaningfully in decisions related to the Territory means being involved in activities that may have environmental, social, cultural, or economic impacts on SON.

In order to do this, SON must engage with:

• All levels of government (municipal, provincial, federal)
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) (e.g., conservation authorities and environmental organizations)
• Proponents from industries such as energy, aggregates (pits and quarries), and other types of development

Visit the EO website, sign up for our email list, and follow the Environment Office on social media. We are active on Facebook and Instagram and also have a new SON Members Facebook group.

Yes. Many of the issues and projects that the Environment Office deals with impact the entire SON membership, regardless of age. To ensure that all SON Members are fully aware and informed of any of these projects, we will be hosting events that are focused on engaging youth.

We are in the process of creating the Youth Ambassador Program to engage high-school aged SON youth