Indigenous Internship Program - Policy Intern

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Indigenous Internship Program

The Indigenous Internship Program (IIP) is a 12-month paid internship program designed to provide recent Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) post-secondary graduates, with the opportunity to gain professional level work experience and a pathway through which they can build and develop transferable skills that can be used to gain sustained employment in their field of choice.

You must self-identify as an Indigenous person to be eligible for this program. The term Indigenous refers to individuals who identify as being descended from the original inhabitants (the first peoples) of what is now known as Canada. In this context, Indigenous people are First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit.

Personal Information

The Ontario Public Service (OPS) is committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities it serves and to promote a diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, accessible, merit-based, respectful, and equitable workplace. To enable this commitment and advance broader organizational objectives, this dedicated internship has been created for eligible applicants who self-identify as an Indigenous person. As part of the application process, all applicants must respond to a self-attestation. Applicants who do not self-identify as Indigenous or who choose not to identify will not be eligible.

What makes working in the Ontario Public Service great

Working in the public service has real meaning and impact on the lives of Ontarians. What we do matters, and you can grow your career here. From economic growth to health and social justice, we offer career opportunities in multiple disciplines and business areas to match your passion. Our strength is the diversity of our people and the ideas we generate. We value trust, fairness, diversity, creativity, collaboration and excellence. We are committed to be an employer of first choice.

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OPS Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism:

We are committed to build a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and to promote a diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, accessible, merit-based, respectful and equitable workplace.

Visit the OPS Anti-Racism Policy and the OPS Diversity and Inclusion Blueprint pages to learn more about the OPS commitment to advance racial equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion in the public service.

We offer employment accommodation across the recruitment process and all aspects of employment consistent with the requirements of Ontario's Human Rights Code. Refer to the "How to apply" section if you require a disability-related accommodation.

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What can I expect to do in this role?

Treasury Board Secretariat (1 position at 7 Queen's Park Cres E, Toronto)
OTB/Health, Social and Communities Division
Do you demonstrate sound judgement, political acuity, and exceptional analytical skills? The Office of the Treasury Board offers a unique opportunity to support government decision-making processes to ensure alignment between the government's policy, governance and accountability requirements and expected results as they pertain to agencies and special advisors.
As an intern, you will be supporting the review of Treasury Board submissions and the development of briefing materials related to agencies and special advisors for Treasury Board/Management Board of Cabinet. In this role, you will also have opportunities to brief senior leadership and the Minister as part of the Treasury Board/Management Board of Cabinet briefing cycle.

Treasury Board Secretariat (1 position at 315 Front Street W, Toronto)
Emergency Management Monitoring and Surveillance Unit
The Emergency Management Monitoring and Surveillance Unit plays a central role in the provision of surveillance and monitoring strategies, methodologies and technologies related to emergency hazards and risks, with an emphasis on vulnerable populations through close collaboration with ministries, municipalities and Indigenous partners. We also lead the updates to the provincial Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) program and are also responsible for implementing the Emergency Management Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) amendments, for ministries and provincially, related to regular identification and monitoring and assessments of provincially significant hazards and risks.

As an Intern, you will:
• Participate in and support the team in leading risk assessment and policy development projects.
• Help coordinate and conduct research and analysis on various sources of information including needs analysis, environmental scans and trend forecasting.
• Contribute in the preparation of a range of draft analyses, briefing materials, graphics.
• Support data collection, analysis and information management of emergency management data.

Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (1 position at 40 St. Claire Ave W, Toronto)
Environmental Policy Division
In the Resource Recovery Policy Branch, you will support the team in providing analysis and advice on waste related files as well as support the implementation of producer responsibility regulations under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016. Also supporting the team with various projects and policy development activities related to waste diversion including: conducting research and analysis; helping to prepare jurisdictional reviews; stakeholder and Indigenous community engagement; correspondence; and participating on various committees and working/project groups.

Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (1 position at 135 St. Clair Ave. W., Toronto
Air Policy and Program Branch
In the Air Policy and Program Branch (APPB) you will support a multidisciplinary team of air policy, economic and engineering professionals in their work to improve oversight, provide regulatory certainty and better protect the public from air contaminants of concern. The APPB Policy Intern will assist the team as they develop policy options and recommendations to drive improvements to air quality. This could include: conducting research and analysis; helping to prepare jurisdictional reviews; supporting stakeholder and Indigenous community engagement initiatives; preparing correspondence; and participating on various committees and working/project groups.

Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks ( 1 position at 135 St. Clair Ave West, Toronto)
Environmental Assessment and Permissions Division
In the Environmental Assessment Modernization Branch, you will support the team in providing analysis and advice on matters relating to the modernization of Ontario's environmental assessment program. This may include assisting the team with various policy development initiatives related to legislative, regulatory and program changes; conducting research and analysis; helping to prepare jurisdictional reviews; stakeholder and Indigenous community engagement; correspondence; and participating in various committees and working/project groups.

Ministry of the Natural Resources and Forestry (1 position at 70 Foster Drive, Sault Ste. Marie)
Operations Branch
By leading and supporting projects, partnering with ministries, and engaging Indigenous communities and external partners on diverse issues ranging from economic and natural resource development to rights and environmental protection, you will:

• Assist and support various projects and programs.
• Gather information, conduct research and analysis for program initiatives and assist in the preparation of policy options and proposals.
• Assist with the preparation of communication and implementation plans and monitoring.
• Participate on various committees and working/project groups.

Ministry of the Agriculture Food & Rural Affairs (1 position remote/work from home and at 1 Stone Rd, Guelph)
Farm Finance Branch
Start your career in an inclusive environment with a culture that fosters personal and professional growth and development by joining the ministry's Farm Finance Branch. This team of professionals works closely with industry and government partners to identify emerging farm business risks and develop innovative, evidence-based analysis and responses that contribute to the growth and sustainability of Ontario's agricultural sector. You'll have the opportunity to gain valuable exposure and experience providing policy analysis and policy development work related to programs that provide financial support to Ontario farmers to assist them in managing risks beyond their control.

Ministry of the Agriculture Food & Rural Affairs (1 position remote/work from home)
Economic Development Policy Branch
Join a team of policy professionals responsible for the development of a broad range of economic development policy that support International Agri-Food Workers, rural communities and businesses, agriculture and agri-food businesses. The Economic Development Policy Branch provides policy advice, expertise, analysis and strategic coordination through four policy units: Business Climate and Rural Policy Unit; Economic Analysis Unit; Farm and Food Labour Policy Unit; and Sector Value Chain Unit. As an Indigenous professional you'll gain experience in economic development policy related to rural communities, agriculture, the agri-food sector, and rural businesses. You'll have an opportunity to contribute to policy and planning activities, including research and analysis, policy development, partner consultations, legislative and regulatory changes, program design, and program evaluation.

Ministry of the Agriculture Food & Rural Affairs (1 position remote/work from home)
Food Safety and Environmental Policy Branch
Consider this exceptional opportunity for you to gain valuable policy experience across a diverse range of subject areas – environmental stewardship, food safety, plant health, animal health and welfare, and land use planning. During this internship you'll build transferable skills in legislative and regulatory policy development and implementation, stakeholder engagement, research and analysis, and preparation of materials to support senior management and Minister's Office briefings. The Food Safety and Environmental Policy Branch will provide projects that will focus on a variety of transferable policy skills – clear writing, briefings/presenting, stakeholder relations, issues management, research and analysis, a variety of policy files (e.g. including legislation and regulations and policies), development and implementation, while also building critical project management skills (e.g., coordination, collaboration, communication, time management) that will equip you for future OPS career opportunities.

Ministry of the Public and Business Service Delivery (1 position at 595 Bay Street, Toronto)
Ontario Digital Service, Archives and Digital Division
Join the Ontario Digital Service (ODS) and help to build digital maturity across the Ontario Public Service (OPS). The ODS is reimagining government services for the digital age, focusing on improving the overall online experience for people and businesses. As an intern in the Digital First Branch, you will play an important role by supporting digital training and engagement and supporting the digital first assessments process, which evaluates how teams work to meet digital standards.
As an intern, you will:
•Work on a variety of user-centered training projects to help upskill leaders and professionals across the province.
•Coordinate a three-day digital training festival by scheduling speakers, reviewing slide decks, and ensuring logistics for the event.
•Support the digital first assessments process and the digital maturity team in a variety of ways, including research, data gathering and analysis for projects in support of digital transformation.

Ministry of the Labour Immigration Training and Skills Development (1 position at 180 Dundas Street West, Toronto)
Office of the Fairness Commissioner
The Office of the Fairness Commissioner assesses the registration practices of regulated professions and trades to make sure they are transparent, objective, impartial and fair for anyone applying to practice in these professions in Ontario. In this capacity, the Office works closely with the trades and regulators and uses a variety of tools, including education, publishing guidance, and conducting risk informed assessments to ensure compliance with the Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act and parts of the Regulated Health Professions Act.

As an intern, you will have the opportunity to assist in addressing barriers that impede qualified applicants from working in their chosen profession or trade by carrying out research, analysis, and participating in stakeholder engagement support.

Ministry of the Labour Immigration Training and Skills Development (1 position at 400 University Ave, Toronto)
Prevention, Training and Awareness Branch, Prevention Division
Are you a results-oriented individual with interest in supporting strategic initiatives to improve the occupational health and safety of workers in Ontario? Consider this exciting opportunity with the Training and Awareness Unit in the Prevention Division where you will support the team with research and analysis, including stakeholder consultation and engagement, to inform the development and delivery of strategies, policies, standards, and targeted initiatives and programs with a focus on improving occupational health and safety awareness, training, and culture across the province.

Ministry of the Labour Immigration Training and Skills Development (1 position at 315 Front Street West, Toronto)
Strategic Partnership and Evaluation Branch, Workforce Policy and Innovation Division
We are Ontario's lead for the strategic management of the Canada-Ontario Labour Market Transfer Agreements, provide provincial leadership through the Forum of Labour Market Ministers and other related tables and policy support. As an intern, you will work in a program area that leads Ontario's collaboration with the federal government, provinces and territories on labour market policy and funding to advance Ontario's workforce development positions, priorities, and objectives. You will support the team in supporting Federal Provincial Territorial (FPT) working groups on labour mobility and advancing employment for equity seeking groups (e.g., Indigenous, Black, racialized, and people with a disabilities).

Ministry of the Labour Immigration Training and Skills Development (1 position at 777 Bay Street, Toronto)
Transformation Secretariat, Employment and Training Division,
The Transformation Secretariat is committed to ongoing improvements informed by stakeholder engagement, data, and lessons learned for project/program implementation. As an intern, you will work in a program area that undertakes research and analysis to provide policy advice on a variety of matters related to the transformation of employment services in Ontario. This includes employing evidence-based, outcomes-focused and locally responsive approaches to enhance service delivery and supports for priority client groups, including equity seeking groups (e.g., Indigenous, Black, racialized, disabled, and justice involved job seekers).

You will be involved in developing strategic frameworks for employment services and related programs using research and analysis to identify emerging trends and best practices.

Ministry of Multiculturalism and Citizenship (1 position at 1075 Bay St, Toronto)
Heritage Branch, Citizenship, Inclusion and Heritage Division
The Heritage Branch administers the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA), the cornerstone of Ontario's heritage conservation framework, and works with municipalities, stakeholders, partner ministries and agencies to ensure that cultural heritage is considered in land-use planning processes, housing and?infrastructural planning and the management of provincially owned?property. Under the OHA, we also regulate archaeology and set standards?to ensure that archaeological resources are conserved under?the land-use planning and development approvals processes.

As an intern, you will have the opportunity to support the development, implementation and modernization of heritage policy and program initiatives, linked to government priorities through research, analysis, the creation of material, project planning, and stakeholder engagement

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How do I qualify?

Mandatory

• You must have graduated or will complete the requirements to graduate with a degree, diploma or post-graduate certificate from a recognized or legally authorized post-secondary institution within the last five years of May 2018-June 2023.
• You must self-identify as an Indigenous person. The term Indigenous refers to individuals who identify as being descended from the original inhabitants (the first peoples) of what is now known as Canada. In this context, Indigenous people are First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit.
• You must be legally entitled to work in Canada.

Select here to view information about Indigenous Self-Identification

Research and analytical skills:

• You can gather and analyze information to support the development of recommendations and resolutions to issues.
• You can interpret and apply legislation, policies, processes and procedures.
• You can provide research support to policy development projects and branch initiatives.

Communication Skills:

• You can prepare and present various documents, including presentations, reports, summaries.
• You can clearly and concisely communicate information and recommendations.

Interpersonal and teamwork skills:

• You can establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, First Nations and Métis at varying levels to seek and exchange information.
• You can participate and contribute to working groups.

Planning and organizational skills:

• You are able to plan, organize, and manage multiple tasks and projects with competing deadlines

Computer proficiency:

•You are proficient using common office productivity software (i.e., word processing, spreadsheets, presentations) to draft documents and reports, prepare presentations, conduct analysis, and perform research on the internet.

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Additional information:

Note:

• • These temporary internship positions are 12-month contracts starting approximately August, 2023.
  
  • The information that you provide for the purpose of this competition, and the results from this competition, may be used in identifiable format by designated representatives in the OPS to fill other internship opportunities in the OPS, and public sector organizations where TBS provides administrative services.
  
  • In order to meet the program goals and ensure that our recruitment practices are fair, open, and transparent, it is necessary that only those applicants who self-identify as Indigenous are considered for this internship.
  
  • Personal information collected in this attestation will contribute to efforts in building a more diverse, inclusive, and accessible OPS. Information collected in this attestation will be retained by the Internships Unit, Treasury Board Secretariat and will be used to determine your qualifications for this program. Additionally, information collected in this attestation will be reported in a de-identified format to the Indigenous Equity Branch for the purposes of tracking the enterprise-wide hiring and retention of Indigenous persons and assessing recruitment and retention priorities for Indigenous staff in the OPS. All information will be protected in accordance with the principles of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
  
  • The Government of Ontario is an equal opportunity employer and has a legal duty to accommodate under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and Ontario's Human Rights Code. If you have any questions about this attestation or require accommodation to complete this attestation, please contact the Internships Unit at contact.oip@ontario.ca.
  
  • Please do not provide more personal information than what is asked of you. For example, do not include your social insurance number, photograph, or banking information, etc. with your application. We strongly encourage you not to provide us with information beyond that which is requested in the job posting.
  
  Job advertisements for positions that have been designated bilingual will be provided in both English and French on the website. Positions that are not designated bilingual are not translated and are displayed in English only on both the English and French versions of the website.

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All external applicants (including former employees of the Ontario Public Service) applying to a competition in a ministry or Commission public body must disclose (either in the cover letter or resume) previous employment with the Ontario Public Service. Disclosure must include positions held, dates of employment and any active restrictions as applicable from being rehired by the Ontario Public Service. Active restrictions can include time and/or ministry-specific restrictions currently in force, and may preclude a former employee from being offered a position with the Ontario Public Service for a specific time period (e.g. one year), or from being offered a position with a specific ministry (either for a pre-determined time period or indefinitely). The circumstances around an employee's exit will be considered prior to an offer of employment.

All Ontario Public Service external job advertisements are posted in English and French. To confirm the language requirements of a job, check the "language of position" information at the top of each job ad. For all positions, candidates will be assessed in English, the business language of the Ontario Public Service. For English/French designated bilingual positions, candidates will also be assessed through French-language proficiency testing.

Toutes les offres d'emploi externes de la fonction publique de l'Ontario sont affichées en anglais et en français. Pour connaître les exigences linguistiques, vérifiez les renseignements sur la « langue du poste » figurant dans le haut de chaque offre d'emploi. Pour tous les postes, l'évaluation des candidates et candidats se fera en anglais, la langue usuelle de la fonction publique de l'Ontario. En ce qui concerne les postes désignés bilingues, la maîtrise du français des candidates et candidats sera également évaluée.

The Ontario Public Service is an inclusive employer.
Accommodation is available under the Ontario's Human Rights Code .