Eastern Georgian Bay Initiative Inaugural Conference
November 21-22, 2022
Conference Overview
Ganawenim Meshkiki funds projects that assist in the recovery of species at risk in eastern Georgian Bay and across Ontario. 2022 marked the five year anniversary of Eastern Georgian Bay Initiative funding.
We hosted our inaugural conference to bring together past and current GMI funded recipients, Indigenous communities, conservation organizations and practitioners, agency staff and other interested people to review our successes and challenges to date and identify priorities for future funding.
Conference Agenda
November 21, 2022
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
- Opening Prayer and Smudge
- Eastern Georgian Bay Initiative Fund Overview
- Panel: Indigenous Partnerships in Species at Risk Conservation
- Keynote Speaker: Dr. Myrle Ballard
- Presentations: Species at Risk Conservation Initiatives in Georgian Bay Region & Beyond
- Poster Session
November 22, 2022
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
- Opening Prayer and Smudge
- Panel: Herptile Habitat and Resilience in Eastern Georgian Bay
- Facilitated Workshop: GMI Conservation Priorities for 2023 and Beyond
- Closing Remarks & Closing Prayer
Conference Agenda
November 21 - Day 1
Time
Agenda Item
8:30 - 9:00 am
Opening Prayer & Smudge
Dave Rice (Oshbeenis)
9:00 - 9:15 am
Opening Remarks
Chief McQuabbie – Henvey Inlet First Nation
Patrick Brennan – Ganawenim Meshkiki Initiative Executive Director
9:15 - 9:30 am
Patrick Brennan – EGBI Fund Overview
Topic: Conservation Initiatives in Georgian Bay Region and Beyond - GMI Fund Recipient Presentations from 9:30 am to 12 noon
9:30 - 10:00 am
Sherrill Judge & David Bywater – Mawaanji’Iwe for Species at Risk – Getting people together to implement actions that protect our coastal species
10:00 - 10:15 am
Coffee & Snack Break
10:15 - 10:30 am
Jeff Hathaway – Species at Risk Conservation Initiatives
10:30 - 10:45 am
Sue Carstairs – Turtle Conservation Activities
10:45 - 11:00 am
Mark Bisset – Acquisition and Stewardship Activities for Black River Wildlands Corridor
11:00 - 11:15 am
Kari Gunson – Integrating Road Ecology for Species at Risk in Central Ontario
11:15 - 11:30 am
Nicole Carpenter – Save Matchedash Bay
11:30 - 11:45 am
Rick Simpson – Species at Risk Habitat Conservation and Protection
11:45 am- noon
Aaron Pollock & Tamara Brincat - Wye Marsh Phragmites Management Project
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Keynote & Lunch
Keynote: Dr. Myrle Ballard – Director of Indigenous Science - Environment and Climate Change Canada Indigenous Scholar in Science, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry - University of Manitoba Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge Subcommittee - Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
Topic: Conservation Initiatives in Georgian Bay Region and Beyond cont.
1:15 - 1:30 pm
Leora Berman – Turtle Guardians
1:30 - 1:45 pm
Leora Berman – A Conservation Toolkit for Ontario
Topic: Indigenous Partnerships in Species at Risk Conservation
1:45 - 3:15 pm
Moderator: Sherrill Judge - Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere Samantha Noganosh – Magnetawan First Nation Shawn Corbiere – Parks Canada Erika Wabigwan – Parks Canada
3:15 - 3:30 pm
Coffee & Snack Break
3:15 - 4:30 pm
Poster Session
4:30 pm
Closing Prayer
November 22 - Day 2
Time
Agenda Item
8:30 - 9:00 am
Opening Prayer & Smudge
Dave Rice (Oshbeenis)
Topic: Herptile Habitat and Resilience in Eastern Georgian Bay
9:00 - 9:55 am
Moderator: Joe Crowley – Species at Risk Specialist and Herpetologist
Mike Waddington & Chantel Markle – McMaster University
9:55 - 10:10 am
Coffee & Snack Break
10:10 - 11:05 am
John Urquhart, Siobhan Galway & Aidan Maloney – Blazing Star Environmental
11:05 am - noon
Panel Discussion
McMaster University
Blazing Star Environmental
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Lunch
Topic: Facilitated Workshop – GMI Conservation Priorities for 2023 and Beyond
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Facilitator: Elise Ho-Foong
3:00 - 3:15 pm
Coffee & Snack Break
3:15 - 4:15 pm
Workshop continued
4:15 - 4:30 pm
Closing Remarks
4:30 pm
Closing Prayer
Dave Rice (Oshbeenis)
Wednesday January 8th, 2021
Date/Time
Agenda Item
8:30-9:00 am
Opening Prayer/Smudge
9:00-9:15 am
Opening Comments
Topic: Topic for this time block to be announced
9:15-9:35 am
Presentation #1 - topic to be determined
9:35-9:55 am
Presentation #2 - topic to be announced
9:55-10:15 am
Presentation #3 - topic to be determined
10:15-10:30 am
Coffee Break
10:30-10:50 am
Presentation #4 - topic to be determined
10:50-11:10 am
Presentation #5 - topic to be determined
11:10-12:00 noon
Panel discussion.
12:00-1:00 pm
Lunch
1:00-1:20 pm
Presentation #6 - topic to be determined
1:20-1:40 pm
Presentation #7 - topic to be determined
1:40-2:00 pm
Presentation #8 - topic to be determined
2:00-2:50 pm
Panel discussion.
2:50-3:15
Wrap-up/Summary/Closing Prayer
2022 Presenters
For more information on the Species at Risk Habitat Conservation and Protection Project, please visit the links below.

Name of the Speaker
Organization, Job Title
Presentation Title

Name of the Speaker
Organization, Job Title
Presentation Title
2022 Presenters
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Myrle Ballard
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Director of Indigenous Science
Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge Subcommittee

Scales Nature Park

Nature Conservancy of Canada

The Land Between

EcoKare International

Georgian Bay Forever

Blazing Star Environmental

Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre

McMaster Ecohydrology Lab

Couchiching Conservancy

Georgian bay Biosphere

Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre
Purchase Tickets
2020 marked the first of five years of GMI’s Eastern Georgian Bay Initiative funding allotted to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to improve Species at Risk habitat along eastern Georgian Bay. In partnership with the Georgian Bay Land Trust (GBLT), NCC made progress building capacity through relationships with local First Nations.