At the beginning of May, OLTA staff met for in-person learning at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto. The afternoon started off with a fabulous tour by our guide, Kyle.
The tour included features of the Centre itself, such as the totem pole (carved on-site in 1980) and very large Indigenous art collection (one of the largest in Canada!), the history of the Centre, as well as an overview of their programs and offerings, with Indigenous wisdom and teachings woven throughout. In addition to Indigenous-focused programming, many of their programs are open to all, such as their daily lunches, business development services, and weekly drumming circles with the sacred fire.
The afternoon concluded in the beautiful Talking Room, where OLTA staff were able to discuss our learnings from the tour, future plans for continuing our equity, diversity, and inclusion training, and enjoy some snacks/refreshments.
All in all, it was a wonderful day connecting in person, building knowledge of and experiential connections to Indigenous teachings, and getting to learn more about this valuable community hub.
We highly encourage members of the land trust community to participate in their offerings if you get the chance! If you’d like to learn more about the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto or check out their programming, please visit their website at ncct.on.ca
