Bluewater District School Board (BWDSB) joins communities across Ontario to observe Treaties Recognition Week from November 2 to 8, 2025. This annual occasion has been recognized provincially since 2016 with the goal of deepening understanding of the history and significance of treaties, the rights and responsibilities they uphold, and their continued relevance in Ontario and Canada.
Treaties are legally binding agreements that define the ongoing relationships between First Nations and governments. They represent commitments made to work together to share and care for the land. BWDSB communities are located within the boundaries of Treaty No. 45½, the Saugeen Peninsula Treaty (No. 72), the Owen Sound Nawash Treaty (No. 82), and the Colpoy’s Bay Treaty (No. 93). We acknowledge that we live and learn on the traditional land of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, represented by the communities of Saugeen First Nation and Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation. We honour this connection by continuing to learn about our local treaty history and what it means for us today.
As we mark Treaties Recognition Week, we reaffirm our commitment in BWDSB to truth and reconciliation and to upholding the spirit and intent of the treaties. It is also an opportunity for us to reflect individually, as students, staff, and community members, on the roles we play in fostering respect, collaboration, and meaningful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Resources and important links:
Treaties Recognition Week (ontario.ca)
Ontario Curriculum: Social Studies, History, and Geography (2023)
Ontario Curriculum: Canadian and World Studies
Ontario Curriculum: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies (2019)
21 Things™ You May Not Have Known About the Indian Act (ictinc.ca)
Native-Land.ca – App to help map Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages
Ontario First Nations Maps (ontario.ca)
Canadian Heritage Minute: The making of Treaty 9
The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund