CIER : Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources

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CIER : Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources

Supporting Indigenous people and communities to be leaders in positive environmental change. We knew we needed our own institutions! It was as simple as that.

Over 25 years ago, a group of us—we were all Chiefs at that time—were talking about how to address the many serious environmental problems faced by our communities. We knew the significance of grounding initiatives in two knowledge systems—Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science because the problems are complex and environmental issues don’t follow political, cultural or legal boundaries. But, as

First Nations our lives and our rights are tied to the natural environment, we feel the immediate and direct effect of resource extraction or hydroelectric development, forest fires or polluted waters. Yet, we have largely been excluded from decisions that are defining our future. That day, as we put our minds together it became abundantly clear to us that we needed to focus first on building internal capacity in our communities to deal with these issues ourselves. It is critical for reconciliation and decolonization to have Indigenous Peoples building our own institutions that can work in partnership with other organizations and governments in Canada. This idea of our strong institutions that are in relationship with each other is the foundation of change...We all need to decolonize. So, we created a national non-profit organisation, secured charitable status a few years later, and our first initiative was a post-secondary education program. We started with education because our vision was clear: begin by creating one paid First Nation permanent position in each community focused on addressing their environmental issues. As CIER has grown, we have developed long-term partnerships with communities, funders, and supporters. We have always had both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the organization because we need many types of knowledge and experience to do our work; we use our Indigenous Knowledge systems and the best of what the western world has to offer. Our Board of Directors provides guidance and ensures we are always keeping Indigenous priorities and needs front and centre. And, while we are still working on that goal of one paid staff person in each community, we are driven by our vision of communities controlling our own destiny in protecting and using our lands and waters and building sustainable communities.

09/03/2026

Let’s honour it together.
https://tinyurl.com/j4ev2f25

09/01/2026

The Health Impact Assessment (HIA) process supports Indigenous communities in identifying their health priorities and the anticipated positive and negative health impacts of a policy, strategy, plan, program or project affecting their lands. Read this and more in the CIER searchable library.
https://yourcier.org/resources/document-library/

08/31/2026

Last Call: Sept 4, 2026. A great opportunity for youth 15-25 to connect, learn, and grow through culture, leadership, and community. Apply now!

2026 Indigenous Youth Gathering 🌿

Calling Indigenous youth to join us for a 3-day gathering in Edmonton, AB, from October 1–4, 2026! Come together to connect, learn, and grow through culture, leadership, and community🧡
📍 Kihcihkaw & Creative Hive
✈️ Travel and accommodation included for participants
👥 Who can apply? Indigenous youth ages 15–25
📅 Applications are open until September 4, 2026
Ready to be part of the gathering? Apply online using the link or QR code on the poster, and linked here: https://forms.gle/6MyfkHS4Vz2AWnn6A

We can’t wait to gather with you✨

08/28/2026

The Fraser Basin Council just released its new report “Considering Climate Risks for Solar and Biomass Renewable Energy Projects” https://tinyurl.com/3bc8xt2z This resource is designed to help communities and practitioners identify, understand, and effectively manage climate risk for community scale renewable energy projects. The report was created as part of the Renewable Energy Climate Adaptation Project (RECAP), delivered by the in partnership with / to strengthen climate resilience across renewable energy systems.

Accompanying the main report, three case studies have been released which provide in depth background about how communities across Canada have implemented climate adaptation strategies to strengthen their renewable energy projects.

You are encouraged to share the report and case studies with your networks, practitioners, and communities interested in renewable energy projects as well as joining the webinar on Wednesday, September 9 from 10 – 11:30am PT. https://tinyurl.com/2hxyjn5z

More information is found here: https://tinyurl.com/2z4yebdf

08/26/2026

St. Theresa Point Ansininew Nation celebrated community action and environmental resilience on August 22 at the FireSmart Community Celebration and Wastewater Treatment Plant Open House.

The event brought together 113 community members for a day, highlighting the importance of wildfire preparedness, community participation and environmental stewardship. The celebration followed the FireSmart™ Friendly Competition from this past May to July where 58 households welcomed members of the STP Fire Program into their homes to learn about and apply FireSmart principles. Ten households received recognition prizes for their efforts to reduce wildfire risk around their properties. The event also provided awareness for community members to learn more about the Wastewater Treatment Plant and the work underway to protect the community’s environment and water resources.

The success of the day was made possible through the support and collaboration of Wawanesa Insurance, FireSmart Canada™, the STP Fire Program and the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER).

08/24/2026

Six young leaders. Six months of learning. The next generation is preparing to help shape a more energy-efficient future.

After an incredibly successful first year, the Energy InSites team is thrilled to announce the launch of our second cohort of the Indigenous Youth Energy Champion Accelerator Program!

This past July, six inspiring Indigenous Youth Energy Champions came together at Brandon University to begin an exciting six-month journey into the world of energy efficiency, conservation, energy auditing and deep retrofits.

This program is about more than learning the technology—it’s about building the knowledge, confidence and skills needed to shape the future of energy in Indigenous communities.

Together, CIER and the LEAP Group are once again bringing energy experts and passionate young leaders together for six months of hands-on learning, knowledge sharing and exploration. Our goal? To help transform these emerging conservationists into career-ready energy champions equipped to make a lasting impact.

A special thank you to Paul from the LEAP Group for sharing his expertise and giving our Champions an up-close look at some powerful tools of the trade—including thermal imaging, drone technology and Matterport scanning—and demonstrating how these technologies can reveal what the naked eye can't see.

https://yourcier.org/energy-insites/youth-champions/

08/20/2026

Support us, as together we can make change for the better.

08/19/2026

Step up your knowledge at the CIER Library and discover any of our searchable 75 resources such as this Community Health through Climate Change guidebook. It offers insights that support Indigenous leaders, health directors, coordinators, and community representatives in understanding and responding to the health impacts of climate change that affects us all.
https://yourcier.org/resources/document-library/

08/17/2026

CIER and Energy InSites are proud to share the stories of the inaugural IYECA cohort!

The nine Youth energy leaders spent six months learning about energy concepts, building leadership and developing professional knowledge.

The digital magazine honours their hard work and celebrates their success. Thank you, Chanel, Cameron, Jerry, Kiauna, Kyanna, Samuel, Tristen, Kaia and Brianna for being a part of the IYECA program!

Check out the magazine here! https://tinyurl.com/y5kwrkrz

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08/13/2026

Discover the power of Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDS) in the new CIER Ecoversity course– Knowledge Sharing Support. This course explores how Indigenous Peoples can strengthen their right to self-determination by controlling, accessing, interpreting, managing, and collectively owning data about their communities, lands, cultures, and ways of life.

This helps support autonomous governance, protect Indigenous Knowledge, and advance Indigenous-led decision-making. Check out this and all CIER Ecoversity courses here: https://yourcier.org/resources/cier-ecoversity/

Address

PO Box 26092, RPO Maryland
Winnipeg, MB
R3B0S6

Website

http://www.yourcier.org/

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