UN Declaration

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or the UN Declaration, is an international human rights instrument that establishes minimum standards for the survival, dignity, well-being and rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007 and includes 46 articles addressing the collective and individual rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

Adopting the UN Declaration advances the Town’s commitments to Truth and Reconciliation and provides a framework for strengthening relationships and consultation with Indigenous Peoples. 

It also responds directly to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action 43, which calls upon federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments to fully adopt and implement the UN Declaration as the framework for reconciliation. 

The Town uses “the UN Declaration” as the shortened form of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This reflects an emerging terminology preference to refer to the document as “the UN Declaration” or “the Declaration,” rather than reducing its name to the acronym “UNDRIP.” 

The term “UNDRIP” continues to be widely used and may appear in older Town documents, legislation and external resources. Both terms refer to the same United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

Yes. The Town’s adoption was supported by Indigenous Nations and organizations at both the local and national levels. 

The Town received letters from two Williams Treaties First Nations: the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation and the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. Both expressed agreement that for East Gwillimbury should formally adopting the UN Declaration.

In January 2023, the Assembly of First Nations passed a resolution titled “Call for 

The Town’s Truth and Reconciliation Working Group played an important role in achieving the adoption of the UN Declaration and continues to help guide how it will be meaningfully implemented in East Gwillimbury. 

The Working Group includes members of the Williams Treaties First Nations, Town staff and community members who bring diverse knowledge, perspectives and experiences to the Town’s reconciliation work. As part of its work on the UN Declaration, the Working Group reviewed relevant Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit Peoples Calls for Justice, and approaches taken by other municipalities. The Working Group recommended that the Town formally adopt the UN Declaration as a foundation for reconciliation and a guide for consultation processes that may impact Treaty Rights-Holders. 

The Working Group will continue to guide and provide feedback on the Town’s implementation of the UN Declaration. 

Truth and Reconciliation Working Group Members 

Yes. East Gwillimbury is among a leading group of municipalities in Ontario and across Canada that have formally adopted or advanced the UN Declaration. 

In 2026, East Gwillimbury became the first municipality in York Region to formally adopt the UN Declaration. Other Ontario municipalities advancing this work include Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Cobourg, Sarnia, and Port Hope.

Through its adoption, East Gwillimbury hopes to inspire other municipalities across York Region and beyond to formally adopt the UN Declaration and advance reconciliation in their own communities. 

Adopting the UN Declaration is a commitment to action, not simply a statement of support. The Town also recognizes that reconciliation is a long-term journey and that meaningful implementation of the UN Declaration requires sustained and ongoing commitment. 

The Town will continue to embed the UN Declaration into its policies, plans, practices and reconciliation work overtime. Implementation will be guided by the Truth and Reconciliation Working Group and will include developing an Indigenous Consultation Framework and incorporating the UN Declaration into future Inclusion, Indigeneity, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Action Plans and other relevant Town strategies and plans. 

The Town will publicly report each year on its progress implementing the UN Declaration, supporting transparency and accountability while recognizing that this work will continue to evolve through relationships, learning and action. 

The UN Declaration will help guide how the Town approaches reconciliation and Indigenous consultation. This includes earlier engagement, transparent information-sharing, meaningful opportunities for feedback and good-faith consultation when municipal decisions may affect Indigenous and Treaty rights.

The Town is developing an Indigenous Consultation Framework to provide greater guidance for these processes.

The Town will develop an Indigenous Consultation Framework using the UN Declaration as a foundation and guide. 

The framework will support a consistent approach to Indigenous consultation. It will include practices for providing adequate notice and time to review consultation materials, consulting in good faith to a reasonable standard, and reporting back to the Williams Treaties First Nations on feedback received through consultation, including whether and how feedback was incorporated and the rationale for decisions. 

Staff reports to Council on projects, plans, initiatives or land-use planning processes that included Indigenous consultation will also include a summary of the consultation process and outcomes. 

Adopting the UN Declaration does not give Indigenous Nations a new, blanket or “carte blanche” veto over Town decisions. 

Free, Prior and Informed Consent establishes consent as a goal of consultation. This means governments should engage seriously and in good faith and work toward mutual agreement. It does not mean that consent is legally required for every municipal decision affecting Indigenous Peoples. 

Adopting the UN Declaration does not create significant new legal obligations for the Town. Rather, it provides a framework to support reconciliation, relationship-building and meaningful Indigenous consultation.

The Town already has responsibilities related to Indigenous and Treaty rights. For example, Ontario’s Provincial Planning Statement requires planning authorities to undertake early engagement with Indigenous communities, consider Indigenous interests in land-use decision-making, and identify potential impacts on the exercise of Aboriginal or Treaty rights. 

Using the UN Declaration to guide the Town’s approach can help make Indigenous consultation clearer, earlier and more consistent. Meaningful engagement and relationship-building can help identify concerns earlier, improve decision-making, and reduce the potential for delays, conflict and litigation.

The Town’s approach also preserves Council’s authority to make decisions in accordance with applicable legislation, the evidence and the circumstances of each matter. 

The UN Declaration is relevant to climate change adaptation because climate impacts and adaptation decisions can affect Indigenous Peoples’ lands, waters, resources, cultures, rights and ways of life. It affirms rights related to lands, territories and resources, environmental protection, Indigenous Knowledge, self-determination, and participation in decisions that may affect Indigenous Peoples.

Applying the UN Declaration can help ensure that climate adaptation planning includes meaningful engagement with Indigenous Nations, respects Aboriginal and Treaty rights, and recognizes Indigenous Knowledge and approaches to environmental stewardship.

This connection is also reflected in Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy, which identifies upholding Indigenous Peoples’ rights as a guiding principle and recognizes Indigenous Knowledge and Indigenous-led, self-determined climate action as important to building climate resilience.

For East Gwillimbury, this means the UN Declaration can help inform how the Town engages with Indigenous Treaty Rights-Holders when developing climate adaptation initiatives that may affect their rights, interests, lands, waters or resources. 

 Article 15 of the UN Declaration addresses discrimination and prejudice against Indigenous Peoples and calls for action to promote understanding and respectful relationships.

The Town will continue to be guided by its 2024–2027 IIDEA Action Plan and future IIDEA Action Plans, which include specific initiatives to address anti-Indigenous racism, the impacts of colonialism, and other barriers experienced by Indigenous Peoples. This work includes staff and public education, community learning and engagement opportunities, and initiatives that support Truth and Reconciliation.

Examples of this work include the Town’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day Exhibit, the Town’s Red Dress Day Installation, , and other initiatives that provide opportunities to learn about Indigenous histories, cultures, rights and contemporary experiences.