Names with Purpose is an initiative driven by the District of Muskoka in collaboration with
the Muskoka Area Indigenous Leadership Table (MAILT).

What is Names with Purpose?

Our Names with Purpose initiative aims to engage and collaborate with partners and community members to understand road and place names that may be perceived as disrespectful or inappropriate in Muskoka.

The need for an audit to understand our road and place names was born from the Strengthening Indigenous Municipal Relations Strategy 2.0.

Inspired by successful renaming projects like Muskoka Road 38 to Kanien'kehá:ka Iohatátie, the District, MAILT and our communities are working together to honour and shape a more inclusive future.

We need your help

We need your help to identify names that may be perceived as disrespectful or inappropriate. This includes but is not limited to:

• Road Names: Any roads (regardless of ownership) within Muskoka that may carry names considered outdated, insensitive, or culturally inappropriate.

• Place Names: This encompasses a wide range of locations, including landmarks, bodies of water, parks, and public facilities, where names may need re-evaluation to better reflect our community's values of inclusivity and respect.

• Municipal Assets: Our audit extends to municipal assets such as buildings, infrastructure, and public spaces. If there are names associated with these assets that may be considered disrespectful or inappropriate, we encourage community members to bring them to our attention.

• Historical References: Names with historical significance that may no longer align with our community's values or inclusion efforts are also within the scope of our audit. We recognize the importance of preserving history while ensuring that public names reflect our collective commitment to respect and inclusion.

As part of our commitment, the District of Muskoka is not only engaging with our communities, but also conducting a comprehensive internal audit of our road and place names. This internal audit is a critical step to make our Names with Purpose initiative as effective and meaningful as possible.

Share your suggestions

We invite you to participate and submit your suggestions and information to help identify names that may need reconsideration - our form is now open for submissions open until July 31st, 2024.

• How will the information be used? The data gathered from community members will be used to compile a comprehensive list of names from across Muskoka, providing us with valuable insight. This data will then be reviewed by the Renaming Evaluation Committee for further discussion and consideration of potential next actions.
  
  
• Renaming Evaluation Committee: We are currently considering individuals to join our Renaming Evaluation Committee. If you're interested in contributing your insights and expertise to this important initiative, please reach out to Tina Kilbourne with the District of Muskoka by July 31st, 2024.

Renaming Suggestion Form: Open from May 1, 2024 until July 31, 2024.

Community Inclusion Notice: At the District of Muskoka, we strive to make sure everyone in our community has an equal opportunity to participate in our initiatives. If you require assistance or accommodations to complete this form, whether it's in a different format, additional support, or any other accessibility-related assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to Tina Kilbourne at 705-645-2100 ext. 4330 or tina.kilbourne@muskoka.on.ca - your input is important to us, and we're here to ensure that everyone can contribute and be heard.