New Study Highlights Métis-Led Approach to Sustainability

A recently published study is highlighting a Métis-led approach to sustainability and environmental stewardship, with contributions from Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) Environment and Climate Change Manager Jesse Fieldwebster.

The study focuses on the development of the Manyèr èkawlawjik michif de traké (MEMT), a Métis-focused ecological footprint calculator co-designed with the MNO and project partners. Created with input from Métis youth, Knowledge Holders, and community members, the tool was developed to better reflect Métis perspectives on sustainability.

While many ecological footprint calculators are based on broad population data, MEMT incorporates Métis knowledge and examines how traditional approaches to food gathering, resource use, and community-based economies can be reflected in sustainability tools.

The study highlights the importance of Indigenous-led innovation in environmental research and demonstrates how Métis knowledge can help shape practical responses to modern environmental challenges. By bringing together Indigenous and Western perspectives through a Two-Eyed Seeing approach, the project offers new ways to think about sustainability, community wellbeing, and economic resilience.

For the MNO, the project reflects the important role Métis citizens and staff play in advancing environmental stewardship and climate action while ensuring Métis perspectives remain at the centre of conversations about sustainability.