Official Implementation of OPFA Indigenous Peoples Lands & Resources Standard
Forestry is conducted on lands that are covered by treaties with First Nations or are unceded by First Nations. An understanding of Indigenous history and Indigenous jurisdiction related to lands and resources supports and enhances professional practice, whether professional foresters are working with government agencies (federal, Indigenous, provincial, or municipal), forest sector employers, consultants, or service providers to landowners and the public.
OPFA Council approved the OPFA Indigenous Peoples, Lands & Resources (IPLR) Standard at their December 5th 2019 Council meeting and work began to develop a series of specialized training materials for professional foresters. At the Annual General Meeting on April 9, 2025, the Membership confirmed the By-law changes passed by OPFA Council. These changes officially implemented the Indigenous Peoples Lands and Resources Standard into the Professional Standards of Practice and added successful demonstration of competency in this Standard as a requirement for Full and Associate Membership, effective May 1, 2025. Professional foresters practising in Ontario are now required to meet the competencies related to Indigenous jurisdiction in Canada that are outlined in the Standard.
You can view the OPFA Indigenous Peoples, Lands & Resources Standard below.
Current OPFA registrants may access instructions on how to access the training materials and demonstrate competency in the IPLR Standard here.
New applicants for Full or Associate Membership will be required to demonstrate competency in the IPLR Standard through either:
- Completion of the 3 online training modules
- Proceeding directly to the multiple choice screening tests (suitable for individuals who believe that they are already competent in the Standard). If unsuccessful, they will be redirected back to the training modules.
Please note that completion of the training modules and/or screening tests is not required to apply for Provisional Membership (to become an R.P.F. in Training) but will be required, in addition to the other registration requirements, to progress to become an Associate Member (Associate R.P.F.) or Full Member (R.P.F.) Instructions will be provided by OPFA staff upon receipt of an application inquiry (website application materials are currently being updated). If you are considering applying and have questions about this requirement, please contact office@opfa.ca.
FAQ
Why is this required?
As forestry is conducted on lands that are covered by treaties with First Nations or are unceded by First Nations OPFA Council approved the OPFA Standard- Indigenous Peoples, Lands & Resources at their December 5th, 2019 Council meeting. Professional foresters practicing in Ontario are now required to meet the competencies related to Indigenous jurisdiction in Canada that are outlined in the standard.
Who needs to be competent in the Indigenous Peoples, Lands & Resources Standard?
All Full and Associate Members and those returning to or working towards a practising membership category (including all Provisional Members) are required to meet this standard. However, the training and exam is open to members in other membership categories to complete voluntarily should they choose to do so.
Is there a financial cost?
There is no cost for OPFA registrants to complete the training or exams.
What format is the training?
There are 3 self-paced online modules, each with a short accompanying online multiple choice exam, which is open book.
Where do I find the training resources and exams?
The learning resources are available in the OPFA Training Centre. Access to the OPFA Training Centre is available to OPFA registrants only.
I am not an OPFA registrant, can I complete the training?
The training resources are designed to be specifically applicable to professional foresters working in Ontario. At this time they are not publicly available. If you or your employer are interested in accessing the training resources please contact opfa@opfa.ca.