About SpruceLab
SpruceLab Inc. is a planning and landscape architecture consultancy with offices in Toronto, Hamilton, Edmonton, and Vancouver, founded in 2020. We are proud to be Indigenous and women-owned and operated (with shared ownership), certified by the Canadian Council of Indigenous Business, and listed on the Government of Canada’s Indigenous Business Directory. Areas of expertise include Indigenous design and engagement (First Nations and local Indigenous), community engagement, park design, urban design, green stormwater infrastructure, permaculture, public art, industrial design, and integrated project delivery. We specialize in nature-based solutions that connect people to Land, Water, and each other to help create resilient, healthy communities. Also a social enterprise, we strive to prioritize First Nations, Métis and Inuit voices through this work where possible, and support the creation of Indigenous employment directly and through our programs and networks.
Clients include First Nations, Indigenous businesses, artists, organizations, as well as governments, universities and colleges, developers, land-based consultants, artists, and non-profits. The work of the firm builds on a collective 80+ years of professional practice leading engagement and landscape design and construction of government capital projects, civic, academic and institutional projects, as well as private developments. Currently there are nine women on our team, including four Indigenous members (Anicinabe, Haudenosaunee, Métis), and two of Mi’kmaq ancestry (through Acadian parents). We embrace foundational Indigenous principles of respect, relationship, reciprocity, and responsibility, and incorporate cultural protocols as guided by the communities we work with and for. Our team is supported by five Indigenous advisors (two who are on our Board of Directors), and our way of working is based on the concept of ‘Etuaptmumk’ - Two-Eyed Seeing (a principle coined by Mi’kmaw Elders Albert and Murdena Marshall). We are also trained in the First Nations Governance Centre Principles of OCAP® (Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession), and are experienced with collaboration with Indigenous Peoples for over 50 projects to date. Learn more about our services here.
Our name is inspired by the spruce tree, which stands tall as a symbol of resilience and holds an important shared history for Indigenous and settler peoples. Indigenous Knowledge teaches how the spruce tree provides medicine, its roots are connectors, connecting birch bark to make canoes, vessels and structures, and its resin is used as both a catalyst to start fires, and a protective agent. We also embody the spirit of a lab (a learning environment) with a proven methodology to co-create innovative solutions to complex land and water problems, with community in mind.
Vision
SpruceLab Inc. believes in creating meaningful places and a climate-resilient world through engaging and regenerative design, grounded in caring, responsibility, and building long-term relationships and capacity in others.
Indigenous-Focused
SpruceLab Inc. prioritizes Indigenous voices in our work wherever possible, and collaborates with multiple Indigenous clients, partners and communities. Our team has had Indigenous cultural awareness training (including Fundamentals of OCAP® and circle facilitation) to respect Indigenous Knowledge and information, and to further improve relationships and advance reconciliation. The firm strives to create meaningful full-time employment for Indigenous Peoples (especially women) as we expand our professional practice, and also more broadly for Indigenous Peoples to work in the expanding green infrastructure sector through our Earth Tending program.
Our People
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Sheila Boudreau
Principal Landscape Architect + Planner, MA (Planning), BLA, BA, OALA, APALA, AALA, CSLA, RPP/OPPI, MCIP
Sheila Boudreau is Principal Landscape Architect + Planner, and Co-founder of SpruceLab Inc. A Landscape Architect and Registered Professional Planner, she has over 30 years of experience. She initiated SpruceLab to be collaborative and nature-based with a community focus, and the intention to prioritize Indigenous voices and decolonize her practice (to honour her Mi’kmaq ancestors).
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Gwen Lane
Program Coordinator, DCS, DEC, PDC
Gwen Lane, DCS, DEC, has an Honours Diploma in Community Worker / Social Service from George Brown College, and a Permaculture Design Certificate from Verge Permaculture. She supports designs, and plays a key role in the creation and delivery of community and Indigenous engagement plans that are culturally appropriate (including First Nations consultation). Gwen is a member of Sagkeeng First Nation, and a Sixties Scoop survivor. She has been reconnecting with her Indigenous Identity and Heritage through Ceremony, Culture and Community for the past 14 years. For the past three years Gwen has led “Earth Tending”, SpruceLab’s six week Indigenous green infrastructure paid training program (where she also mentors support staff).
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Cesca Boldy
Landscape Designer, BA (Hons), MLA
Cesca Boldy, BA, MLA, holds a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture (MLA) and a BA (Hons) in Landscape Architecture and Planning from The University of Sheffield, UK and brings over 8 years of experience, contributing her skills to diverse projects in both public and private sectors at a vast range of scales acquired both in the UK and Canada. At SpruceLab, Cesca manages landscape architectural projects including the preparation of conceptual designs, presentation packages, and detailed construction drawings. She recently completed the Project Management Fundamentals course at University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, strengthening her management knowledge and equipping her to support project coordination at SpruceLab. She also supports community and Indigenous engagement, and contributes to the research and writing of reports to support the work of the firm.
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Kerri-Lynne Garlinski
Landscape Designer, Landscape Architectural Technologist (Hons.), Horticulture Technician Certificate
Kerri-Lynne Garlinski is a Landscape Designer at SpruceLab Inc. She has completed Landscape Architectural Technology (Hons.) from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and has a level 2 Landscape Horticulture Technician Certification from Vancouver Island University. Kerri-Lynne brings 8 years of professional experience working as a LAT designer and has been a part of urban community gardens for over a decade, as well as history with food production on a family farm and an assistant horticulturalist in a Woodland Garden. Kerri-Lynne is a Member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, with an interest in traditional harvesting.
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Natalie Sisson
Landscape Designer, MLA, BA (Hons.)
Natalie Sisson has a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Toronto’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art from the University of Guelph. She has a keen interest in exploring how design can foster a closer relationship between humans and nonhumans to create resilient and dynamic communities. As part of this interest in cross-species community building, she hopes to explore ways that green infrastructure can be utilized to benefit communities and reduce energy costs. She believes that it is extremely important that access to green space and places to be connected with plants are available for everyone.
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Ashley MacDonald
Designer, BAcd (Hons), Creative Problem Solving ceritified, RSE Framer
Ashley MacDonald, BA (Hons), RSE Famer, is a Designer with SpruceLab, and holds an Honour’s degree in Furniture Craft and Design from Sheridan College and a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Problem Solving from the University of Buffalo. She is a mixed urban Indigenous designer and artist from the Cayuga Nation of Six Nations of the Grand River. She specializes in integrating Indigenous values into design, ensuring meaningful and authentic representation at every stage. She also leads Dbaajmowin, our site furnishings program dedicated to developing and coordinating opportunities for Indigenous representation. Ashley is involved in design work from the research stages, engagement, through to the production of concept plans through to technical drawings (preliminary shop drawings for fabrication).
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Belinda Messon
Program Assistant, DEC, DCS
Belinda Messon, DCS/DEC, has an Honours Diploma in Community Worker / Social Service from George Brown College, and over 12 years of office experience previously. Her current role is Program Assistant where she supports Indigenous and community engagement, the Earth Tending program, and administrative tasks for the team. Belinda is active within the Native community by providing support to her neighbors who have difficulty with health problems, attending events, and engaging in community focus groups.
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Katerina Jacobson
Junior Designer, BDes (in progress)
Katerina (Kat) is a Junior Designer based in Toronto with a strong focus on environmental and community-centered design. She has lived in Toronto for most of her life, and her deep connection to the city fuels her passion for designing meaningful spaces where the environment is an integral focus. Her experiences living and traveling in several countries have shaped her adaptability and broadened her understanding of diverse cultural perspectives. She is currently pursuing a degree in Environmental Design at OCAD University (4th yr), where her thesis explores agricultural architecture within urban settings through sustainable and adaptive reuse strategies. Her summers spent canoeing the lakes of Kenora have fostered a strong personal connection to the land and a deep respect for sustainability and wildlife.
Directors / Board of Advisors
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Karl Chevrier
Indigenous Advisor, Art & Culture
Karl Chevrier, a talented, accomplished contemporary artist and traditional craftsman from the Anishinaabe community of Timiskaming First Nation, compares his practice to birch bark canoe making and “everything that goes with it”. His works of art blend tradition and innovation, carry strong messages and reflect his renewed commitment to causes that are close to his heart, including identity, protection of the environment and mutual aid. Chevrier has a sensitive soul and is proud of his origins. His fondest wish is that his efforts, works and teachings serve as beacons for others who also follow a road to healing. Besides giving lectures and workshops promoting full autonomy, Chevrier opens the door of his workshop to all those seeking to learn : “I can only plant a seed; then it’s up to them to make it sprout, grow and bear fruit.
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Josephine Clarke
Indigenous Advisor, Landscape Architecture
Josephine Clarke has 10 years’ experience in New Zealand as a landscape architect, cultural advisor, project manager, environmental project adviser, kaitiaki team leader and site manager. She creates her own identity under her Earthfeather brand. Josephine specializes in several fields of landscape architecture and urban design particularly in cultural expressive design and integrated design for the public and private sector in Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty and wider Waikato Region. Josephine has worked closely with a wide range of clients including privately owned companies, district councils, developers, architectural, ecological and planning firms, Māori organizations, iwi groups, several community groups and private landowners. Josephine’s professional goals focus on the inclusion of Te Ao Māori values as an approach to design integrating cultural integrity and authenticity to produce cultural expressive and integrated designs.
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Christal Duncan Earle
Indigeous Advisor, Business Coach
Christal is a SpruceLab Director, and has been a lifelong social entrepreneur. From co-founding an international youth humanitarian charity (Live Different) to launching her own social enterprise in circular fashion (Brave Soles), Christal has had a wide range of experience and entrepreneurial adventures around the world. As a Métis woman, she also has a strong passion for equity, community, and connection, and a deep respect for generational wisdom and practices. Christal has spoken to hundreds of audiences and has coached and mentored many clients one on one. Her work is focused on helping others to find their own resilience, uncover new ways of thinking, and support their dreams of social change. As a professionally trained coach, she has worked with various clients including the Mètis Nation of British Columbia, Alma de Samana in the Dominican Republic, SpruceLab, and Elizabeth Fry Foundation. She also serves as an advisor for the Social Venture Zone at Toronto Metro University and has been an Entrepreneur in Residence for the Fashion Zone, a member of the Creative Innovation Studio at Toronto Metro University. Christal loves working with and supporting entrepreneurs and social change makers to grow their ideas, build their brands, and get clear on what they want to create in the world. She has been a featured guest on numerous podcasts, radio shows, magazines,and television appearances both nationally and internationally.
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Christopher McLeod
Indigenous Advisor, Business
Chris is a SpruceLab Director with decades of experience: developing and implementing projects; designing curriculum and policy; building strong relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous government, non-profit organizations and the resource sector; and advocating for Indigenous inclusion across multiple industries. He is an advocate for economic reconciliation and advises on procurement and economic development practices for working with Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs. Chris has worked within Indigenous government and with Canadian government (provincially, federally and locally) for 20 years, and has organized joint ventures, MOUs and contract agreements between Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders. As a Métis citizen, Chris understands the perspective of Indigenous communities and the importance of building long lasting, positive programs and partnerships between Indigenous people and community stakeholders. Through his work with NVision Insight Group, Northern Strategic Partners, Mitacs, and Right To Play, he has engaged with over 400 First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities across Canada and retains valuable experience creating sustainable strategies for involving Indigenous communities in the work of the private and public sectors.
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Amber Smith Quail
Indigenous Advisor, Education, Art & Culture
Amber Smith-Quail is an artist, educator, mother, wife and auntie who divides her time between South Algonquin and Tkaronto. She is a member of Alderville First Nation and has over 14 years of experience working with Indigenous and non-Indigenous children and youth in Toronto’s city core. Her mission has been to use the power of art, language and culture as an instrument of healing and believes that art is medicine. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Theatre from the University of Guelph as well as a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Education with a focus on Urban Indigenous Education, both from York University. (Illustration of Amber by artist Tobie Loukes).
Call to Action #7:
We call upon the federal government to develop with Aboriginal groups a joint strategy to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.
Call to Action #92:
We call upon the corporate sector in Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework & to apply its principles, norms, & standards to corporate policy & core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples & their lands & resources.
Call to Action #66:
We call upon the federal government to establish multi-year funding for community-based youth organizations to deliver programs on reconciliation, and establish a national network to share information and best practices.
Call to Action #83:
We call upon the Canada Council for the Arts to establish, as a funding priority, a strategy for Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists to undertake collaborative projects and produce works that contribute to the reconciliation process.
SpruceLab is a proud supporter of the Landscape Architecture Canada Foundation (LACF). The LACF carries out a variety of vital work to serve and improve the profession within Canada, including supporting students as they begin their careers.
Principal Sheila Boudreau serves on the LACF Board of Directors and contributes her skills, insight and knowledge to the Foundation.
SpruceLab is actively working to help make Diana Beresford-Kroeger’s vision of ‘healing gardens with plant medicines’ a reality.