ONTARIO FIRST NATIONS TECHNICAL SERVICES CORPORATION (OFNTSC)
A Planning Framework for Safe, Reliable Water Infrastructure (Water Treatment Plant Project) Project Management Essentials Training, Toronto and Thunder Bay 2023
WHO THEY ARE?
Founded in 1995, the Ontario First Nations Technical Services
Corporation (OFNTSC) provides professional technical services and
training that support First Nations’ right to technical self-determination—
strengthening local capacity so communities can plan, build, and steward
essential infrastructure on their own terms.
Serving First Nations across Ontario—in a province home to 133 First
Nations—OFNTSC supports core needs across water and wastewater,
engineering, housing, infrastructure, asset management, fire and safety,
and environmental services.
Within water and wastewater, OFNTSC works alongside community
Public Works teams to plan, design, and strengthen reliable systems—
from lagoon expansions to treatment-plant upgrades—supported by
operator training through the Circuit Rider Training Program. The
organization’s approach prioritizes Nation-led planning and practical
capacity-building so solutions align with community priorities and sustain
long-term water safety and environmental integrity.
WHAT THEY NEEDED
Participants—Capital, Housing, Public Works Directors and Managers,
Water Operators and Environment Coordinators and Technicians from
multiple OFNTSC-member Nations—faced a shared constraint: lagoon
systems at or near capacity, with treatment and flow limits that slowed
housing and infrastructure growth and raised compliance risk. They
needed a structured plan to adding capacity and restoring performance
of their wastewater system.
The plan had to relieve growth bottlenecks and address the operational
realities on the ground: reducing sediment and sludge-related capacity
loss and meeting federal wastewater discharge requirements.
Equally, the path forward had to be staged across the full delivery arc—
definition through design, construction, commissioning, and close-out—
so decisions could be made at the right moments. It needed to follow
Ontario’s approvals framework for sewage works and account for
federal obligations, while screening early for species-at-risk and fisheries
considerations.
Dependencies were plain: finish ahead of the related water-treatment
project; secure contractors and added power; and keep budget,
schedule, resources, and risk in view so progress held.
The requirement was clear: a phased lagoon expansion plan with a
defined approval pathway—structured to sequence works and
decisions, and adaptable for participants to apply within their own First
Nations.
WHAT WE DID
Delivered a focused Project Management Planning Essentials workshop for Capital, Housing, Public Works leaders, Water Operators, and Environment Coordinators/Technicians across multiple OFNTSC-member Nations.
Outlined the full project sequence—from early definition and due diligence through design, site preparation, expansion works, commissioning, and handover—so leaders could clearly see what must happen and in what order.
Shaped one unified planning framework for lagoon expansion and rehabilitation—captured in two parts:
- A project proposal
- A detailed work structure —so scope and sequencing were visible end-to-end.
Set firm scope boundaries, defined success factors, and mapped the full approvals pathway across provincial processes and federal wastewater obligations.
Translated the brief into clear capacity objectives and a realistic delivery pace—anchoring timing to finish ahead of related water-treatment works and acknowledging real-world constraints (contractor availability, added power requirements).
Embedded early environmental diligence—including species at-risk and fisheries considerations—to support coordinated, compliant decision-making.
RESULTS WE GOT
Participants left with a single governing planning framework for lagoon expansion and rehabilitation—bringing purpose, scope, sequence, and approvals into one clear, usable reference.
Strengthened decision-readiness:
- Scope boundaries and success factors were explicit
- Coordination touchpoints and contractor engagement pathways were named
- Regulatory diligence—including approvals and early environmental screens—was built into the plan
Achieved deeper clarity with defined capacity and footprint targets (40,000 m³; 1.43 ha) and a documented timing dependency; milestone pacing was mapped across design, construction, commissioning, and close-out.
The planning framework was fully transferable: participants left with a coherent, adaptable reference they could localize to their Nation’s context, funding cycle, and readiness—transforming a shared case into a practical roadmap for lagoon capacity upgrades.
IN NUMBERS
1 Lagoon Expansion Planning Framework Produced
Unifying purpose, scope, approvals pathway, and sequencing.
40,000 m³ Capacity & 1.43 ha Footprint Set
Sizing the build and anchoring timing to complete ahead of the linked water-treatment works.
4 Phase Durations Established
Decision, Site Preparation, Construction, and Commissioning: providing a clear phased horizon to steer sequencing and contractor scheduling.
