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?
The Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation (OFNTSC) is a
First Nations-mandated technical services organization created by the
Ontario Chiefs-in-Assembly; since 1995, it has supported all 133 First
Nations and 16 Tribal Councils across Ontario to build technical self
reliance in essential services. It was the first Indigenous organization in
Canada mandated to provide professional technical and advisory
services to First Nations communities.
Within water and wastewater, OFNTSC works alongside public works
teams and operators to keep systems safe, reliable, and maintainable. Its
services span maintenance management planning, the Circuit Rider
Training Program (hands-on operator training and mentoring), the HUB
service for 24/7 certified operator assistance in unaffiliated communities,
and engineering support across a project’s lifecycle—scoping, funding
applications, design procurement and review, through construction and
warranty. At its core, the work builds practical capacity that reflects each
Nation’s priorities and supports long-term operations.
WHAT THEY NEEDED
Participants were a cross-section of Public Works, Capital Projects
managers and water operators from multiple OFNTSC member nations
—they faced a shared reality: aging, undersized, and unreliable systems
that left households without dependable services, weakened fire
protection and increased insurance costs, as well as slowed housing
and business growth, often under the strain of outages and access
disruptions.
They needed a practical framework they could take to their community
and adapt—built around a community-sized planning baseline—so each
team could size and stage solutions for local conditions. The aim was
simple and non-negotiable: safe, reliable drinking water that meets
provincial standards for the long term, restored fire protection, room for
future growth, and less day-to-day strain on operations.
That framework had to be realistic and phased, candid about constraints
such as funding pressures, inflation, workforce capacity, and supply
chain risks. Equally, it needed to align with community governance and
regulatory expectations, embed cultural and environmental stewardship,
communicate clearly with leadership and residents, and build resilience
—backup power and operations readiness—so local teams could run
these systems with confidence.
WHAT WE DID
Delivered a focused Project Management Planning Essentials workshop for three cohorts under a unified planning brief: delivering reliable, compliant drinking water.
Established a phase-based governance model with decision points and success factors, supported by a practical risk lens (funding pressure, inflation, workforce capacity, supply-chain constraints).
Built a single controlling planning framework for a full water treatment upgrade, grounded in a Project Proposal with both summary and detailed deliverable structures, capturing scope, sequencing, and timelines through construction years (3–5).
Set the human and institutional system behind delivery:
- Clearly defined roles for Chief & Council, community teams, utilities, regulators, and funders
- Funding pathways and procurement approach
- Cultural milestones and communication lines to leadership and residents
- Resilience measures (e.g., backup power) and document/IT control
Defined the transfer-to-operations package, including manuals, certification, and operator training, to support confident long-term local operations.
Mapped the full project lifecycle, from feasibility and cultural/environmental due diligence through design, site preparation, build (intake, pumping, treatment, storage, distribution), and final commissioning.
RESULTS WE GOT
Participants left with a standards-aligned project framework adaptable to their communities:
- A complete end-to-end plan for upgrading a water treatment plant
- Two levels of documentation (summary + detailed)
- A clear 3–5 year path from feasibility and design through construction and commissioning
Ensured cultural, environmental, and operational integrity:
- Cultural protocols paired with environmental assessment and mitigation
- Clear roles and communications with Chief & Council, community members, regulators, and funders
- Resilience measures built in (e.g., backup power)
- A complete transfer-to-operations component enabling confident local system management
Strengthened decision-readiness through:
- A phase-based decision model with milestones and decision points
- Defined leadership success factors
- A practical risk approach matched to real delivery constraints
Moved participants from problem statements to a usable, community-led plan—equipping them to coordinate partners and deliver safe, reliable drinking water with strengthened local control.
IN NUMBERS
1 Water Treatment Plant upgrade planning framework established for use within 29 communities
Bringing purpose, scope, governance, and sequencing into one place to guide work from preparation through commissioning
3–5-Year Phased Path Defined
Pacing feasibility, design, build, and commissioning so leadership could steer decisions and readiness.
Major build targets scoped — 1,300 m distribution watermain, 1,800 m raw water intake, 709 m³ reservoir to restore, anchoring reliability and fire protection.
6 Core Stakeholder Groups Mapped
With roles and two-way communications set across Chief & Council, community, municipality, partners, contractors, and consultants.
