An MSIFN Pickering clarification says the First Nation’s new consultation agreement with the city must not be interpreted as support for development under the northeast Pickering secondary plan.
The Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation issued the statement after Pickering announced a memorandum of understanding in late September. This is a substantive follow-up because it distinguishes consultation from the development position itself.
Agreement creates a consultation framework
MSIFN says the memorandum is an interim framework intended to lead to a longer-term protocol for decisions and studies that could affect Aboriginal and treaty rights.
Chief Kelly LaRocca said the process is meant to ensure the First Nation is not an afterthought. Continued dialogue does not erase concerns about northeast Pickering.
Four concerns remain
MSIFN identifies meaningful consultation before draft approval, consistency with the 2024 Provincial Planning Statement, cumulative impacts and potential effects on Aboriginal and treaty rights as unresolved.
Discussions are continuing, but the First Nation says its position on the secondary plan remains unchanged. The memorandum establishes communication, not endorsement.
