Who Are We?
We are an Indigenous-owned consulting group that works with Indigenous and local communities in Canada and beyond to provide high quality research, policy, planning, mapping, negotiation, and advisory services. Our work focuses on culture, health, socio-economics, ecology, and governance to support the rights and interests of Indigenous communities.
Our Approach
We work for Indigenous communities
Firelight works only for Indigenous and local communities, or on projects where communities support our participation.
Comprehensive support
We provide research, guidance, and support through all stages of environmental assessments, negotiations, and community policy and planning.
Capacity building
We build capacity in communities, by training and mentoring through all stages of our work.
Quality
We are committed to high quality, objective, evidence-based, peer-reviewed research, and to providing deliverables that are timely, relevant, effective, and respected by all parties.
Social return
We give back to the communities we work with by supporting culturally, politically, or ecologically important initiatives. Learn more about social return…
News
Firelight at IAIA 2020
Firelight’s Dr Rachel Olson and Dr Jordan Tam will be hosting 2 sessions at the International Association for Impact Assessment conference in Seville, Spain, from May 26-29, 2020. Read More…
Firelight’s Open Data Report Released!
Firelight researched how, or if, the Government of Canada can observe OCAP® (Ownership, Access, Control, and Possession) principles while disseminating First Nations’ geospatial data… Read more…
CBC features the 2019 Indigenous Mapping Workshop in Inuvik!
CBC visited the #2019IMW in Inuvik this week! Read more…
Firelight Directors announced as members of CEAA Advisory Committees!
Congratulations to Dr Rachel Olsen for her appointment to the CEAA Indigenous Advisory Committee, and to Alistair MacDonald for his appointment to the CEAA Technical Advisory Committee on Science and Knowledge! Read more…
Jane Glassco Northern Fellowship – Applications now open
The Gordon Foundation is recruiting northern Canadians, between 25 and 35 years of age, who want to address the emerging policy challenges facing the North. The deadline to apply is October 1, 2019: http://gordonfoundation.ca/initiatives/jane-glassco-fellowship/
DEADLINE EXTENDED: Call for Social Return Proposals for Spring 2019
Funding up to $15,000 per project is available through Firelight’s Social Return Fund. Proposals are due June 15th, 2019 at 5pm PT. Download the Call for Proposals and Application Guideline here.
New Reports
Water is Everything: nipî tapîtam – An Indigenous Understanding of the Oustanding Universal Value of Wood Buffalo National Park. Prepared by Mikisew Cree First Nation with support from Craig Candler, PhD, Gillian Gregory, PhD, and the Firelight Group, May 2016 (released online July 2017)
Culture and Rights Impact Assessment: A Survey of the Field. Prepared by Ginger Gibson and the Firelight Group for Mikisew Cree First Nation, May 2017
Indigenous Communities and 
Industrial Camps: Promoting Healthy Communities in Settings of Industrial Change. Prepared by the Firelight Group with Lake Babine Nation and Nak’azdli Whu’ten, February 2017