OPG's Haudenosaunee Themed Gardens in Full Bloom

While taking in OPG's Celebration of Mohawk Creation, I had a chance to walk in their new 'gardens.' A grand opening was this past June at OPG, but the gardens are available to fully enjoy with everything in full bloom right now. The newly expanded Indigenous-themed garden is accessible to the public at OPG's Saunders Hydro Dam Visitor Centre in Cornwall. This garden features a variety of plants and unique interpretive elements that hold cultural significance for the Haudenosaunee people. This educational initiative supports OPG's Reconciliation Action Plan and was developed in collaboration with the Mohawks of Akwesasne.

The enhanced landscape showcases gardens filled with flora that are meaningful to Akwesasne, along with several interpretive features inspired by Haudenosaunee traditions-such as a drying shed, a medicine garden, an overlook shelter, and a Mother Earth/Great Tree of Peace installation.

These new features provide Akwesasne, Cornwall, and neighboring communities, as well as visitors, the chance to connect with nature and learn about local Indigenous culture and various plant species. The gardens offer valuable learning opportunities for educators, researchers, and plant enthusiasts alike.

In addition to enhancing biodiversity, the new garden serves as a hub for education, research, and community engagement focused on Indigenous and sustainable plant knowledge. This initiative marks a significant advancement in OPG's relationship with the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne. In 2008, both parties signed a Final Settlement Agreement addressing damages experienced by the Akwesasne community due to Ontario Hydro's previous operations during the construction of the R.H. Saunders Generating Station.

The garden project is a direct manifestation of OPG's Reconciliation Action Plan, which aims to bolster the company's economic impact on Indigenous communities and businesses over the next ten years. The development was overseen by a joint venture comprising Iroquois Consulting Group, an Akwesasne-owned business, and M. Sullivan and Son Limited, with much of the work carried out by local Indigenous subcontractors, including Northern Landscapes and Akwesasne Earth Movers.

Since opening, the garden has begun its educational mission. Prior to the launch, over 100 students from the Ahkwesahsne Mohawk Board of Education and the Catholic District School Board explored the gardens, guided by Indigenous cultural educators.