29 Sep National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day

On September 30th, we honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, a day dedicated to reflecting on the painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools in Canada. This day is an opportunity for all Canadians to learn about and acknowledge the truth about the experiences of Indigenous peoples and the children who never returned home and to support survivors and their families.

Through education, reflection, and action, we commit to better understanding our shared history, as this is fundamental to building a more inclusive and respectful future for all.

As an organization, we are committed to ongoing learning and unlearning. We are taking these actions as we learn more and incorporate specific actions to work in solidarity with Indigenous peoples and reconciliation through the work we do:

• We are prioritizing work with Indigenous-led programming in our public space activations.

• We have integrated cultural awareness training and workshops into our internal professional development, capacity-building, and fellowship programs.

• We are building relationships with Indigenous organizations and partners based on reciprocity and compensating Indigenous partners for their contributions on their terms.

• Our organization’s rights-based framework has been strengthened based on ongoing learning and teachings with Indigenous partners that emphasize the importance of responsibility. While our mission is centred on a people-first approach, we understand the interconnectedness of all living things and that the health of the land, water and air around us and our cities is quintessential to our very survival.

Our updated 8 80 Cities framework includes the following:

1. The Right to Public Space- everyone has the right to welcoming and accessible public spaces.

2. The Right to Mobility- everyone has the right to safe and active mobility.

3. The Right to Participate- everyone has the right to inclusive city-building processes.

4. Responsibility to the land and each other- we all share a responsibility to care for the land and each other.