The Aboriginal Advisory and Planning Committee in the Children’s Services Division is responsible for constructing an Indigenous integrated service model based on the needs of Aboriginal children (birth to 12 years old) and families in the City of Toronto that truly reflects cultural, linguistic, political and historical integrity.
Toronto Public Health in partnership with Anishnawbe Health and Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network provide services to aboriginal residents in the City.
Indigenous Health Strategy (2016)
The City commits to implementing employment practices that ensure that opportunities for employment are accessible to Aboriginal people and increases the number of Aboriginal employees at all occupational levels.
Aboriginal Employment Strategy
Since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have used Sacred Fires for wellness, healing and gatherings. Fire is a sacred gift from the Creator, as well as a doorway of communication with the Spirit world, ancestors and creation. Sacred Fires can take place for several hours or several days, depending on the reason for the fire. Some fires take place at short notice, such as a grief ceremony.
Action 15 of the City of Toronto’s Reconciliation Action Plan addresses the need to reduce barriers for Indigenous People accessing Sacred Fires, which are also supported by articles in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Calls to Action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report.
Please be respectful of Sacred Fires taking place, and do not interrupt or take photos/video without permission.
The City aims to create safer access to land for ceremony while minimizing interruptions, and continues to listen to Indigenous communities to meet their needs and continues to work together with Indigenous communities.
To hold a Sacred Fire at a City firepit, book a firepit in a City park.
Should First Nations, Inuit or Métis community members want to hold a Sacred Fire at a location that is not a City firepit, a Ceremonial Fire Information Form must be completed and submitted to Toronto Fire Services to initiate a site safety review. Visit the City’s Open Air Burning webpage for more information.
Email Indigenous@toronto.ca for support with booking space for a Sacred Fire.
Firepits in City parks are available to book and open to anyone, but it is not necessary to hold a Sacred Fire at a City firepit. When alternate location in a City park are proposed, they will be reviewed for site safety as well as for potential impacts to existing park uses and programming.