Ontario has 127 recognized First Nations, in addition to a sizeable urban population. There are 24 Métis communities. Most First Nations are associated with one of four main Political Treaty Organizations: Grand Council treaty no. 3, Nishnawbe-Aski Nation, Anishinabek Nation, and the Association of Iroquois and Allied Nations.
Of those four, the first three are negotiating self-government with Canada
In addition, there are the Chiefs of Ontario, which is the provincial office of the national Assembly of First Nations, and the Métis Nation of Ontario.
Grand council treaty no. 3 represents First Nations in northwestern Ontario, southeastern Manitoba, and northern Michigan. For more information visit www.gct3.net.
Nishnawbe-Aski Nation (NAN)’s treaty area includes a third of Ontario’s land mass. Most member First Nations are in remote areas in the north, with no road access. NAN has seven tribal councils. For more information visit www.nan.on.ca.
Anishinabek Nation’s member communities are in north, central and southern Ontario. The Anishinabek Nation incorporated the Union of Ontario Indians (UOI), a political advocate for 42 member First Nations across Ontario, as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is also the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact. For more information visit www.anishinabek.ca.
The Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians (AIAI) has eight member communities in southern Ontario. For more information visit www.aiai.on.ca/.
There are also 13 independent First Nations.
In addition, many First Nations are associated with tribal councils; by definition, groupings of First Nations with common interests who join together to provide advisory and/or program services to their members. Typical services involve band governance, financial management, community planning, technical services and economic development. Tribal councils are different from the treaty organizations. There are seventeen tribal councils.
From “Ontario Treaties,” by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.
Visit http://www.aboriginalaffairs.gov.on.ca/english/services/firstnations.asp for a map of Ontario’s individual First Nations