



-
1996
Established
Established in Kitchener, ON as a Heavy Equipment Training Site
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1998
Guelph Site Opens
Guelph site opened, funded by Trillium Foundation.
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2001
Non-Profit Incorporation
Incorporated as a not for profit agency.
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2005
Becomes a Charitable Organization
Designated as a Charitable Organization.
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2005-2017
Employment Services
Established a reputation as an employment service delivery organization for urban Indigenous as well as a resource for non-Indigenous organizations to obtain contacts.
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March 2017
Strategic Planning
AO Develops a strategic 3 year plan.
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November 2017
New CEO
Hired a new CEO – Stephen Jackson
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February 2018
Searching for Headquarters
AO began its search for a new headquarters.
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March 2018
Planning Development
After first 3-year plan was mostly completed, a 10-year strategic plan was developed to include an expanded mandate that provides for the creation and development of an Urban Indigenous Centre for Healing with integrated services and innovative economic development, training and employment plans for reserve-based Indigenous communities.
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March 2018
AO Home Launched
Bold new for profit initiative and partnership with AO Home Services and its new website (aohome.ca) launched.
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March 2018
Logo and Branding
Established a fresh look with new logos and rebranded for a bright future and new direction.
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March 2018
EarlyON Begins
Awarded funding from Region of Waterloo for the establishment of an Indigenous EarlyON.
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June 2018
Website Launches
Launch of our new aocan.org website which describes our new service offerings.
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August 2018
Partnerships for New Centre of Healing Begin
Partnership with St. Phillips Lutheran Church and Eastern Synod to help purchase 236 Woodhaven Road, Kitchener to create our first Indigenous centre of healing.
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September 2018
Job Seekers Support Added
AO adds a brand-new state of the art Applicant Tracking System to support job seekers more efficiently & effectively.
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October 2018
1st Centre of Healing Purchased
AO purchases a building to house Employment Centre, AO EarlyON and Centre for Healing in Kitchener.
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November 2018
Renovations Start for Centre of Healing
AO begins renovations to create space AO EarlyON, Employment Centre and Healing programs.
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September 2019
EarlyON Opens
AO's EarlyON Program opens its doors.
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January 2020
Employment Moves to Kitchener
Employment agency moves to Centre of Healing location.
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March 2020
EarlyON Serves hundreds
EarlyON is serving 100 children a day before COVID-19 shutdown.
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April 2020
Adapting to COVID-19
AO creates a donation-based warehouse, launches its Spirit Bundle program and begins delivering essential food, household items, clothing and other needs to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit families in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph. In the programs first year it delivers out over $1 million worth of donated items to the community.
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April 2020
Programming Becomes Virtual
All EarlyON and Employment programming is shifted to online during the pandemic.
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May 2020
AO Building Developments Continue
AO builds medicine gardens, teaching lodge, healing lodge and a variety of other outdoor projects. The organization continues to develop and build dozens of partnerships and begins to explore new programming opportunities.
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February 2021
Indigenous Wellness and Healing Services Unit Begins
AO launches its Indigenous Wellness and Healing Services Unit.