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Swan Planning Consultancy Inc. is a woman- owned community planning company, established in 2025 by Heather Swan, MCIP, RPP, PEng, PMP. With 25 years’ experience working from coast to coast to coast across the country we now know as Canada, we work with organizations and governments in meeting their community and organizational goals in a respectful way. We strive for beneficial outcomes for those impacted.
Vision – Informed and responsible decision-making in service of both present and future generations, grounded in meaningful relationships and amplification of Indigenous voices.
Mission – To advance reconciliation in planning while breaking down systemic barriers and maximizing opportunities for Indigenous communities, organizations and peoples.
Core Values – Respect, Relationship, Reciprocity, Responsibility, Reconciliation
Giving Back – 5% of annual profits will be donated to First Nation focused not-for-profits or charitable organizations.
Our clients include:
-First Nations and Indigenous organizations,
-Corporate Canada including Industry,
-Institutions, Not-for-Profits, NGOs and Charitable Organizations, and
-other levels of government (Federal, Provincial and Municipal).
Where do we work?
While Ontario is our primary knowledge expertise focus, we also have strong experience and interest in working in Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Maritimes.
What services do we offer?
We offer tailored services to meet the needs of each client. Our approach is one of collaboration and co-creation.
Engagement, Facilitation, and Duty to Consult and Accommodate Support
-We support engagement and facilitation for organizations and projects related to a large range of topics including project or policy creation, design inputs/feedback, and more. We also support procedural aspects of the Duty to Consult and Accommodate. We support project specific engagement with Indigenous peoples, organizations and communities.
Indigenous Participation Plans / Indigenous Engagement and Participation Plans (IPP/IEPP)
We support preparation of IPP/IEPP plans and their execution. We have extensive experience in working in this area and are familiar with both the challenges and opportunities it presents.
Reconciliation Action Plans (RAP) & Reconciliation Support
-We support preparation of RAPs and their execution, as well as other supports for reconciliation. Our experience working in this area includes not for profits, industry organizations and consulting firms with staff and volunteers ranging from several individuals to thousands. As RAPs are not one size fits all, we work closely with our clients to co-create a plan with insights from Indigenous peoples.
Indigenous Knowledge Studies/ Traditional Land Use and Occupancy Studies (IK/TLUOS)
-We support gathering information to inform project specific or territory wide Indigenous Knowledge Studies or Traditional Land use and Occupancy Studies. We have undertaken work using several different approaches for working with Elders, Knowledge Holders, Tallyman, Family Heads, Land Users and Youth that can be refined to meet needs for specific communities and projects.
Planning Policy, Land Development and Permitting
-We support preparation of planning policy, strategic plans, land development applications, and navigation of regulatory processes. This includes support for environmental assessments and environmental studies,
Strategic Business Advisory Services
-Project Management
-Policies, Processes and Procurement
-Funding Application Support
-Review of Environmental Assessments and Planning documents
We work in partnership with our clients to support capacity building. Our goal is to provide our clients with the tools they need to pursue their projects independently. We also collaborate with other consultants to deliver complex projects in partnership.
Diversity is a strength for innovating and creating productive and inclusive solutions. We work with clients to co-create customized approaches to address challenges and leverage opportunities in an effective and unique way. We ground our approaches in learnings from the past with a focus on building a future that is inclusive, healthy, sustainable, and thriving. We identify opportunities for improvements and value creation within existing systems while supporting changes that address systemic barriers. Our approach embraces interconnectedness, wholistic methods, and valuing multiple knowledge systems.
Heather Swan is the founder and President of Swan Planning Consultancy Inc.
“I have always wanted to make a positive change in the world. Becoming an Engineer became my dream in Grade 5, because I knew it was a profession that would provide me with the skills to contribute to a better world. I credit my aunt with planting that seed as it was not a common career path for women... thanks Aunt Sue! During my Civil Engineering program, I took a course in Site Planning and saw an amazing opportunity. I imagined bringing together Engineering and Planning to facilitate conversations, influence the built form and improve communities and the environment for all living beings.
About 5 years into my career, I worked on a project that included engaging with 22 First Nations leaders and Elders. This was an amazing and life changing opportunity where I started my learning journey about reconciliation, traditional knowledge, connections to the mother earth and relationship building. I have been privileged to learn so much through my work, from Elders and through ceremony. It influences my life and work as I focus on allyship, amplifying voices and being an accomplice!” Heather Swan, Founder, Director
Heather Swan is settler of Irish, German and English descent. She was born in Haida Gwaii, and has lived in cities, towns and rural areas across Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. She currently resides in Stouffville Ontario and considers Nova Scotia to be her home as much of her family has been there for several generations and continue to live there.
Heather is a highly trusted, compassionate and passionate Plangineer (Planner / Engineer) who has dedicated the last 20+ years to being an ally and accomplice, amplifying Indigenous voices and raising challenges and opportunities in places where she has the privilege to hold space and in her circle of influence. Her unique dual training and experience in planning and engineering supports an appreciation of varied viewpoints and consensus building, working tactfully and effectively with multiple and diverse individuals and organizations. Clients and coworkers recognize Heather’s technical skill, work ethic, organizational skills and ability to bring together different views. Her expertise lies in all the areas of services provided by Swan Planning Consultancy Inc., and she has a deep passion for supporting reconciliation journeys.