TORONTO — TAS, specializing in impact real estate, recently launched its Reconciliation Action Plan which underscores the importance of real estate developers working with Indigenous groups to honour and respect the land.
The plan is the culmination of TAS’s learnings from Indigenous peoples and organizations over the past few years and will be a foundational step in its ongoing reconciliation journey.
It was crafted with the perspectives of Indigenous people currently working with TAS and the expertise of Creative Fire, a consulting agency owned by the Des Nedhe Group, the economic development arm of the English River First Nation.
The plan aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, specifically Call to Action 92, which urges the corporate sector to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework, indicates a release.
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Calls for Justice report, the City of Toronto Reconciliation Action Plan, and the National Indigenous Economic Strategy also guided the development.
The plan is structured around six pillars:
- Education: Providing cultural competency training and professional development for the TAS team.
- Engagement: Building meaningful relationships and collaborations with Indigenous organizations and communities.
- Ceremony: Hosting site activations, land ceremonies, storytelling and cultural events in collaboration with Indigenous groups.
- Stewardship and Placekeeping: Integrating Indigenous design principles, worldviews and languages into TAS projects.
- Economic Empowerment: Offering affordable housing, below-market commercial space, social procurement and investment opportunities for Indigenous businesses and communities.
- Governance: Ensuring impact measurement and leadership accountability within TAS.
TAS will continue to build relationships with Indigenous people by listening and learning to enhance their understanding of how to best contribute to this critical work, the release adds.
“As city builders, we have a fundamental role as stewards for future generations,” said Mazyar Mortazavi, CEO of TAS, in a statement. “Our commitment to this stewardship involves a deep awareness of the history of the lands on which we operate. The real estate industry has benefited from systems rooted in Indigenous land dispossession. It’s only through open, trusting relationships with Indigenous Peoples and a collective effort for change that we can move toward a more resilient tomorrow.”
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