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The Messy Reality of Decolonizing City Hall by Teelucksingh et al (2026)

Cheryl Teelucksingh, Manuel Riemer and Miguel Sioui explain, based on a paper just published in ARJ, that when best practices aren’t enough…

“Municipal governments often promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation both within their own organization and within the broader community. But what happens when passionate academics and community leaders attempt to dismantle colonial frameworks embedded in city planning?

In a funded project titled “Decolonizing and Transforming the Engagement of Indigenous and Black Peoples within Municipal Planning” in a city in Southwestern Ontario (Canada), the outcome was described as a “failure” and serves as a cautionary tale. The research aimed to challenge Western, top-down city models by engaging Indigenous and Black communities through two workshops grounded in Etuaptmumk (Two-Eyed Seeing), which combines Western and Indigenous perspectives.

Despite community trust and established frameworks, the project faced obstacles. Using the “powercube” tool, researchers identified key barriers: the City’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion had limited power; administrative shifts de-prioritized the project; and top officials deemed it too risky, neglecting efforts to co-create a decolonized framework.

In spite of the project’s efforts, city staff lowered expectations, retreated to a control-oriented role, and kept colonial power structures intact. As one reflection from one of the project leads  noted, many communities are still consulted with little actual change resulting. While the project did not produce a new municipal framework, researchers believe failure is vital for innovation. It planted seeds of systemic disruption on a human level.

For further insight, explore Caxaj (2015) on Indigenous storytelling in participatory research, Henry (2015) on decolonizing urban pedagogies, and Blangy et al. (2024) on Indigenous self-determined research responding to societal issues. Ultimately, systemic change demands that those in power relinquish control. Until City Halls embrace this discomfort, decolonization will remain a distant objective rather than a reality.

Forever citation: Teelucksingh, C., Riemer, M., & Sioui, M. (2026). Decolonizing and Transforming the Engagement of Indigenous and Black People Within Municipal Planning – Lessons Learned. Action Research https://doi.org/10.1177/14767503261461952