Pathways to Decolonized Governance: A Toolkit for Municipalities

Pathways to Decolonized Governance: A Toolkit for Municipalities, developed by First Light with support from the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, provides a practical framework to help municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador advance Indigenous rights and reconciliation within their governance structures. Grounded in the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the toolkit encourages municipal staff and elected officials to reflect on existing policies, procedures, and decision-making processes and identify meaningful opportunities for change.

The toolkit emphasizes the importance of building a shared understanding of Indigenous rights, histories, knowledge systems, and priorities; strengthening relationships between municipalities and Indigenous communities; and taking practical steps toward more respectful, inclusive, and accountable governance. It highlights the need to move beyond symbolic gestures of reconciliation toward structural changes that meaningfully incorporate Indigenous perspectives and priorities into municipal systems.

Rather than presenting a final plan, Pathways to Decolonized Governance serves as a starting point for ongoing learning, reflection, and action. It encourages municipalities to approach decolonization as a continuous process grounded in relationship-building, accountability, and Indigenous community leadership. Based on knowledge gathered in fall 2025, the toolkit is an important resource for municipalities seeking to strengthen reconciliation efforts and create more equitable and responsive governance practices across Newfoundland and Labrador.