In this newsletter you will find:

• Exciting OALA Announcements
• February Virtual Events
• Registration for OALA's Land Appraisal Toolkit Training (In-Person)
• NALMA Training Sessions and Updates
• Funding Opportunities and More!

OALA Updates

Please note, the OALA office will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2026

for Family Day.

For more information, please contact gis@oala-on.ca.

Virtual Sessions

To keep up with future virtual and in-person training sessions, visit the Events page on our website.

Webinars and Lunch & Learn sessions are typically recorded and posted on the Members Portal. If you require access to the Members Portal please contact Ashley at communications@oala-on.ca.

In-Person Events

For more information, please email communications@oala-on.ca.

NALMA Updates

Training Opportunities

Species at Risk

Date: March 3 - 5, 2026

Location: Halifax, NS

To keep up with future training opportunities and updates from NALMA, visit https://nalma.ca/training-and-events/.

NALMA Workforce Study Survey

Dear Members,

As noted in NALMA’s recent communiqué, Imagination Consulting has been engaged to administer the NALMA National Workforce Study Survey. Your input is vital to ensuring the study reflects the real experiences, training needs, and workforce realities of Land Managers and Lands Staff across the country.

The survey will take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete and will remain open until the end of the day on February 20, 2026. Reminder emails will be sent throughout the survey window.

You can access the survey here: https://www.research.net/r/PZBWXJD. Your responses are confidential. Names are not linked to survey answers unless you choose to enter the optional prize draw at the end. 

Thank you in advance for your time and valuable insight.



Sincerely,

How to Register:

• Visit www.nalmapeersite.ca
• Scroll down to the Register section on the homepage
• Complete the registration form.
• You will receive a confirmation email with a request to validate your email through a link.

Please note:

• Registration approval is based on NALMA membership
• Registrations are manually confirmed by NALMA
• NALMA's Peersite Forum is located on the main page after login is completed
• This Forum also houses NALMA's GIS Forum

Once your membership is verified, you will receive confirmation from NALMA through email and can log in using the URL: www.nalmapeersite.ca.

If you experience any issues during registration or have questions, please contact cbourke@nalma.ca.

Funding Opportunities

Professional Lands Management Certification Call-Out Letter

2026 - 2027 Land Use Planning

Funding Initiative

NALMA’s 2026-27 Land Use Planning Funding Initiative call for proposals is now open.

There are three separate funding categories you can apply for: 

• Category 1: Pre-Planning – Background Report 
• Category 2: Land Use Plan Development, Implementation and Monitoring 
• Category 3: Updating an Existing Land Use Plan 

The 2026-2027 LUP Funding Initiative call out will close on Friday, February 6, 2026 at 5PM EST.

Please reach out to NALMA's Land Use Planning (LUP) Unit if you have any questions: 

Alexander Marques

LUP Program Specialist

705-741-6941

amarques@nalma.ca

Krista Knott

LUP Program Administrative Support

705-933-4579

kknott@nalma.ca

Philip Beaver

LUP Funding Officer

705-875-1024

pbeaver@nalma.ca

Resources

We're starting something new!

Did you miss a past virtual session or need a quick refresher? Each month, we'll spotlight a past OALA virtual session selected to speak directly to the current needs and questions from our members.

Environmental Site Assessments 101 with Shared Value Solutions

In this session, Shared Value Solutions broke down environmental site assessments, explaining the importance and taking us through the three phases of ESAs. 

Looking for another session?

Find more Lunch & Learn and Webinar recordings and resources on the Member Portal.

Member Portal

In OALA’s member login portal, you will find:

Documents: (a library, sorted by folder topics for ease of use, which will include templates, webinars, and other resources, that have been created or curated by OALA staff, or shared by other OALA members)

Lunch & Learns and Webinars: (all OALA webinars that have been delivered since 2020 are available here, including Handouts, PowerPoint Presentations, and Video Recordings)

To access these sections, click on “Members Only” at the top right-hand corner and a drop down menu will appear.

OALA's Quick Reference Guide to Land Transactions

This guide was created to assist First Nation staff to manage the forms and processes required to complete land management transactions, while outlining best practice processes, defining the steps, and explaining why certain forms are used and how.

Contact

ONTARIO ABORIGINAL LANDS ASSOCIATION | www.oala-on.ca