Sam Skinner, M.Sc. – Senior Planner, Yukon Land Use Planning Council

Decision makers ask planners to concisely present evidence to support their planning recommendations. This presentation will present some Yukon regional planning case studies where information on a range of values was condensed into a limited number of maps or tables. These values often: are divergent; have different cultural origins (e.g., traditional or local knowledge and scientific or western knowledge); and vary in quality, comprehensiveness, and type (i.e., quantitative vs qualitative). This presentation will focus on spatial techniques, including MARXAN (for conservation area design), expert guided land use forecasting, and tabular comparisons (e.g., consequence tables). The challenges and potential solutions to the technical, social and process aspects of presenting, comparing and analysing such divergent information will underpin this presentation.

Simon Lapointe, MCIP, RPP – Senior Planner, 3Pikas, civicly.io

Explore the emerging trend toward government as a platform and how civic technology, open--‐data, and digital infrastructure can help produce new user--‐centric and community--‐driven plans. We look into how technology is used to engage with the public to support decision--‐making and the creative ways that every--‐day people are using technology and open data to improve their cities and communities. Technology raises new questions about government as a platform, access to data, plan format, organization, and community engagement. Take an in--‐depth look at several newly developed web--‐based technologies and plans and join a discussion on the benefits and challenges of this approach. You’ll learn about:

• What is Government as a Platform?
• Explore mobile applications and other emerging tools for innovating planning
• Civic tech and good examples of web--‐based civic technologies
• The benefits and challenges of using technologies and open--‐data
• Approaches to using technology to plan for your community

Melanie Harding, MCRP. – Senior Community Planner, Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund

First Nations in Nishnawbe Aski Nation are re-visioning and re-defining what community planning means to them. Through defining their own process and ultimately connecting to their traditional laws and practices, community planning is being used as a tool to enable First Nations to dream. Despite the immense challenges in these northern communities and in spite of the provincial Far North Act (FNA, 2010) which continues to dispossess these remote communities from their traditional territory, Anishnaabe cultural practices of planning endure and strengthen.

This session will explore the implications of the FNA on planning and development in remote First Nations communities. Through the FNA, land-use planning is used as a means of disconnecting communities from their land through the creation of parks and other measures such as provincial veto of the land-use plans and the prevention of any modern development on their traditional territory until the land-use planning process is undertaken. This Act is seen as an additional way that planning has been used to control First Nations communities.

However – some communities are finding ways to connect conventional planning with their traditional values. Stories of processes that honour the Anishinaabe teachings of the Seven Grandfathers (Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility, and Truth) will be shared. Building on the success of Comprehensive Community Planning, NAN First Nations are reclaiming planning to improve their communities, protect precious lands and waters, celebrate traditions and culture, and promote healing and reconciliation. These processes recognize the interconnected nature of our world, and honour Creation through a community-led process that is grounded in Anishinaabe culture and traditions.