The Surveyor General Branch (SGB) of Natural Resources Canada presented a survey capacity development program aimed at enhancing the surveying skills of First Nation communities. This initiative is designed to promote self-governance in land management by providing mentorship and practical surveying training over five years to 24 communities. The program focuses on building knowledge, increasing engagement in land surveying as a career, and ultimately reducing economic leakage within communities.

1. Survey Capacity
Development Program
Surveyor General Branch
(SGB)
Presentation to the NRCan Science Forum – Fredericton, N.B.
September 9, 2019

2. The Surveyor General Branch is a part of the Lands and Minerals Sector of Natural Resources Canada.
The staff of SGB is made up of a wide range of skilled professional and technical people :
• Professional land surveyors
• Survey engineers
• Computer specialists
• Technicians and technologists
• Administrators
• Etc.
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The head of the Surveyor General
Branch is the Surveyor General of
Canada, Jean Gagnon, NBLS, CLS.
Introduction

3. International Boundary Commission (IBC)
• The boundary: Approximately 8900 km, 8 provinces and territories, 13 states
• Activities: Maintenance, land surveys, plans and reports
Canada Lands Survey System (CLSS)
• Provides the framework and infrastructure that defines, demarcates
and describes boundaries of Canada Lands.
• Documents, in conformity with the Canada Lands Surveys Act, the
administrative limits of Canada Lands, supports different land registry
systems to protect property rights.
Canadian Geodetic Survey (CGS)
• Maintains the Canadian Spatial Reference System
• Geodetic control system
• Geodetic tools and products data
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4. 4
Canada Lands are defined by section 24 (1) of the Canada Lands Survey Act.

5. Background
As First Nations move towards greater self-governing
responsibilities, there is an increasing need for First Nation
Administrations to play a bigger role in land surveys on
First Nation lands.
To meet this need, the Surveyor General Branch (SGB) was
tasked with developing a Survey Capacity Development Program
to support First Nation communities operating under, or
considering operating under the Framework Agreement on First
Nations Land Management.
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6. The Program has been built upon the success of a First Nation-led
2015 survey capacity pilot project with Wiikwemkoong First Nation
in collaboration with the SGB in Ontario.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT-7HOc1jL4&feature=youtu.be
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Background

7. BC AB SK MB ON QC ATL
NWT
MembertouTzeachten
Nipissing
Mistawasis
Muskoday
Kitselas
Shawanaga
Waban-Aki Group
Abénakis de Wôlinak
& Odanak
Current First Nation Participants as of April 29, 2019 (Year 2 of 5)
YT
NU
The Program will target 24 First Nation communities over 5 years,
providing up to 12 weeks of in-community survey capacity
development.
Background
2018 – First Nation participants
2019 – First Nation participants
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8. Creating a partnership between the
First Nation and the SGB in order to
provide a personalized mentorship in
the community on the main concepts
of surveying.
- The goal of this program is to establish
relations and convey the knowledge within a
flexible and practical learning framework.
- The goal is not to train certified land
surveyors or to replace official study
programs.
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Program Vision

9. Remove barriers to
effective land
management and
advance the success
of First Nations Land
Management
Increase First Nation
knowledge of
property rights
systems and spatial
data management
Enhance surveying
knowledge to allow
First Nations to
communicate their
needs effectively
with the surveying
profession, be able
to better assess the
service they receive
and help reduce the
cost of those
services
Stimulate an interest
in continuing
education in Science
and Technology,
specifically
Geomatics
Reduce economic
leakage by building
surveying skills and
capacity to do the
work within their
community
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Program Goals

10. Program Overview
The program will demonstrate
the fundamentals of legal
surveys, practical techniques
and methodologies used by
industry to complete surveys;
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11. Program Overview
Build skills and capacity
in researching land
records and survey plans
and how to interpret
those plans;
Parcel and
boundary
datasets
Survey Project
Search
Survey Plan
Search
(& download)
Canada Lands Survey
Records
New surveys Survey
projects
Survey
plans
CLSS Map
Browser
Canada Lands
in Google Earth
Access Methods
Geospatial
representation
(datasets)
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12. Program Overview
Provide introductory experience operating the latest
survey equipment and geomatics software; and
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13. Program Overview
Provide appropriate
health and safety
knowledge relevant to
field surveying activities.
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14. Potential Program Participants
Provide decision-makers, lands managers,
and interested community members with
information on the role and purpose of a
land survey in effective land management
Build long-term relationships between
community, SGB and land surveyors
Generate interest in land surveying as a
potential career for community members
and provide practical experience to help
guide this decision
Provide decision-makers and lands managers
with knowledge of land surveying and legal
surveys to be informed consumers
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15. Potential Program Work Plan Topics
What is land
surveying?
Why is land
surveying
important?
Why do I
need a land
surveyor?
How will this
program help?
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16. Career Spotlight: Indigenous Land Surveyors
Indigenous land surveyors explain what they do, why it
matters and why surveying could be a viable career option
for Indigenous people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW6gLwfPi4Q
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17. Program Work Group Contacts
 First Nation Land Management – Research Centre
(FNLM-RC)
– Tania Bigstone – Survey Advisor (tania.bigstone@labrc.com)
 National Aboriginal Land Managers Association (NALMA)
– Graeme Sandy – Survey Project Manager (gsandy@nalma.ca)
 Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada /
Indigenous Services Canada (CIRNA/ISC)
– Dorothy Laplante – Manager, Operations and Program – Community Lands
Development (dorothy.laplante2@canada.ca)
 Surveyor General Branch (SGB)
– Rob LeBlanc – Senior Program Manager (rob.leblanc@canada.ca)
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18. Indigenous Services
Canada
Services aux
Autochtones Canada
Natural Resources
Canada
Ressources Naturelles
Canada
Questions?
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