Services To Proponents
OUR SERVICES
All of the Services You Need. All In One Place.
We provide a wide range of professional services to meet your needs. We execute every service skillfully and to your highest level of satisfaction.
On The Water Consulting provides a range of services related to project/program management, discipline coordination, environmental planning, archaeology, Indigenous relations and engagement programs. Our company is experienced working in both provincial and federal regulatory environments and work with our clients to ensure that regulatory requirements and compliances are met and that our client's standards are upheld. On The Water Consulting practices an open communication style to determine the best approach for the completion of each project or program.
Indigenous Relations and Engagement
Through On The Water Consulting’s familiarity working with various Indigenous communities, we are able to connect our clients with the right people and resources to move their projects forward and to carry out the responsible business practices that are a part of doing business within Indigenous traditional territories.
Proposal Writing and Review
At the proposal stage, stating the level of intended Indigenous engagement including anticipated Indigenous business and workforce overall percentages is not just good business practice, it can also be a requirement. In order to increase the level of Indigenous content in our clients’ proposals, On The Water Consulting can:
• Develop Indigenous content text customized for each proposal,
• Research and vet local Indigenous companies and individuals for appropriate inclusion in each relevant proposal, and
• Review proposals to ensure that the document language is inclusive of Indigenous content and that culturally appropriate language is used.
Report Writing and Review
Guarantees of Indigenous involvement and content made at the proposal stage should be included in interim and final reporting as an assurance that the services, as outlined, were delivered. On The Water Consulting can:
• Develop project specific content, for each report, outlining Indigenous involvement, and
• Complete technical document reviews to ensure that the document language is inclusive of Indigenous content and that culturally appropriate language is used.
Traditional Knowledge, Traditional Land Use and Traditional Environmental Knowledge, Consultation Services
The services of an experienced Traditional Knowledge (TK), Traditional Land Use (TLU) and Traditional Environmental Knowledge (TEK) facilitator may be required on a project specific basis. On The Water Consulting can:
• Coordinate, manage and execute TK/TLU/TEK interviews,
• Coordinate, manage and execute field/site visits,
• Complete interim/final reporting,
• Complete technical report reviews,
• Attend, record and facilitate community consultation meetings to help explain our client’s involvement in projects that are within the community’s traditional territory,
• Manage any project needs identified by an Indigenous community during the project consultation phase, including:
• Coordinate and plan traditional ceremonies,• Facilitate project information sessions in the community to help explain various discipline processes and methodologies,
• Coordinate and manage Elder site visits,
• Coordinate and manage traditional/cultural monitor programs.
• Assist with the effective and efficient execution of a project while fulfilling any recommendations that arise through the consultation and/or TK/TLU/TEK process.
Contracting Indigenous Companies and Individuals
In order for our client’s procurement and supply chain experts to successfully engage qualified Indigenous companies and individuals, familiarity with the companies and individuals with the capacity and availability to do the work is required. Knowledge of the contacts/resources within various Indigenous communities is also a necessity. On The Water Consulting can:
• Develop job descriptions based on the services required,
• Contact various relevant Indigenous communities, companies and individuals to determine if they have interest in applying for the work/position,
• Build a database of resumes/proposals specific to our client’s needs and requirements,
• Vet and interview potential companies and individuals,
• Develop and maintain a client specific database that includes qualified and approved Indigenous communities and individuals,
• Work with a client to negotiate contracts and ensure that all contract requirements are in place,
• Work with a client to amend contract requirements if/when necessary,
• Liaise between the Indigenous company/individual and relevant individuals at a client’s company to manage expectations, on both sides, and ensure that the services of the Indigenous company/individual are delivered as contracted.
Indigenous Partnership Companies
Indigenous partnership companies can be either long term agreements where a company enters into a partnership with an Indigenous community or Indigenous company or project specific. On The Water Consulting can:
• Provide direction as to what type of partnership is appropriate for a client’s specific needs,
• Vet potential partners,
• Develop relationships with potential partners,
• Work with a client to establish the partnership,
• Work with a client to negotiate agreements and ensure that all agreement requirements are in place,
• And work with a client to amend agreement requirements if/when necessary,
• Liaise between a client and the Indigenous partner, to maintain a good working relationship between both partners,
• Work with a client’s staff to promote revenue growth and profitability for the partnership company/companies,
• Manage the partnership company/companies,
• Execute the business strategy of the partnership company/companies,
• Execute any non-financial aspects of the partnership company/companies, and
• Work with a client’s staff to ensure that the mandates of the partnership company/companies are adhered to.
Cultural Sensitivity Training
When working with Indigenous communities, companies and individuals it is important to understand the Indigenous history of Canada, along with the history of individual communities. On The Water Consulting can:
• Develop sensitivity training sessions/lunch and learn sessions as required,
• General overviews and project specific sessions can be developed.
• Engage Indigenous Elders/knowledge keepers and/or leaders to speak to staff regarding Indigenous culture and the Indigenous experience in Canada.
Capacity Building
On The Water Consulting has expertise developing and delivering project and/or discipline specific capacity building programs and developing ways to build skills and competencies. On The Water Consulting can:
• Assess the capacity of the company/individual and determine any capacity gaps that may need to be filled,
• Develop training to fill capacity gaps, such as:
• In field training with the scientist, professional, contractor and/or discipline expert,
• One-on-one communication with Indigenous companies/individuals to ensure that expectations are consistent as well as help to maintain the level of expectation,
• Develop, plan and provide material (i.e. traditional knowledge interview and field guidelines, identification booklets, water sampling guidelines, etc.),
• Develop, plan, manage and deliver seminars. Depending on the complexity of the issue and funding available the duration of these seminars can range from a few hours to several weeks in length,
• Plan, manage and deliver formalized training programs.
• Develop specific task-based tools (i.e. field worksheets that can easily be filled in while completing certain tasks, checklists of the tasks that are to be completed, etc.), and
• Ensure that safety program requirements and training are in place and complied with.
Indigenous Community Outreach
In today’s business environment, it is advantageous to maintain a good relationship with the Indigenous communities whose traditional territories overlap with project areas. Community outreach programs often include a wide variety of community support and most communities are able to provide a list of deliverables that they would like assistance with. Client involvement can include monetary donations, donations of goods (school supplies, Elder/Youth program supplies, etc.) or a donation of time and expertise. On The Water Consulting can:
• Liaise with communities to determine needs and wants of the community,
• Liaise with industry to determine if our client can become involved in industry programs,
• Propose community outreach programs, and
• Develop, manage, and deliver any community outreach programs that are approved by our client.
Professional Services
Project/Program Management
On The Water Consulting manage small, medium and large-scale projects and programs in the environmental services field. Project/program management services:
• On The Water Consulting can step in to manage projects or programs, or portions of projects and programs, in areas where our experience is relevant to our client’s project needs, and
• Build capacity within a client’s company in project/program management where On The Water Consulting’s experience fills capacity gaps within a client’s current workforce.
Environmental Planning/Discipline Coordination
On The Water Consulting can undertake the role of operational project manager and primary operational lead, in multi-discipline settings, to oversee the development and delivery of field programs and discipline coordination including:
• Orientations and training,
• Project/field manual development and oversight,
• Communications planning,
• Scheduling and coordination of pre-field meetings,
• Scheduling and monitoring of fieldwork,
• Management of field reporting,
• Associated document quality review,
• Technical report review, and
• Development/submission of various regulatory deliverables.
Meeting Facilitation, Recording and Reporting
On The Water Consulting has the expertise required to assist in public, Indigenous community and other key stakeholder consultations and can:
• Assist in the development of meeting materials (i.e. fact sheets, poster boards and questionnaires),
• Facilitate meetings to keep discussions on topic and to maintain timelines/schedules,
• Take detailed, relevant meeting notes,
• Provide meeting note summaries, and
• Complete reporting for meeting sets.
Archaeology
On The Water Consulting has archaeological permit holders with the capacity to conduct archaeological studies in various regions throughout Canada and can:
• Assist with regulatory permitting and procedures,
• Complete desktop site data reporting,
• Complete desktop overviews/Statements of Justification,
• Complete Historical Resource Impact Assessments,
• Complete Historical Resource Construction Monitoring,
• Complete Historical Resource Post Impact Assessments,
• Complete Site Mitigation,
• Deliver all necessary regulatory interim and final reporting, including making recommendations to government and regulatory bodies,
• Undertake technical report reviews.
