About the Organization:
The Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle (BANAC) is an Indigenous governed, Indigenous led regional social planning and development organization. The BANAC service region now covers Simcoe County, Muskoka, and York region. BANAC works in cooperation with Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous organizations to address community-identified priorities through coordinated planning, implementation and evaluation. BANAC has a mandate to support the continued promotion of Indigenous lifelong learning and community wellness through self-determination and community participation.
BANAC offers many innovative programs and services including Aging Well Senior Supports, Bebminot Family Wellness, the Biinoojinsauk Child Care Centre, Maapii Enjii Zaagi Gaazwad and the Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin Indigenous Interprofessional Primary Care Team. Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin offers a wholistic approach to wellness that includes traditional healing practices in primary care, community clinics, addiction and recovery services, counselling programs, midwifery, land-based healing programs, and community health promotion.
About the Role:
This position operates within an Indigenous-led and Indigenous-governed organization that is accountable to the communities it serves. Work is grounded in the principle of Indigenous Health in Indigenous Hands, ensuring that all programs and services are developed, delivered, and evaluated under Indigenous governance structures and community direction. In alignment with Indigenous and provincial standards, the organization upholds excellence in care, accountability, and compliance while centering on Indigenous knowledge systems, cultural safety, and self-determination in health and social service deliverables.
All employees are required to participate in organizational Indigenous Cultural Safety training and to engage in ongoing reflexive practices as part of their professional development. This includes a commitment to examining personal and systemic biases, deepening understanding of Indigenous histories and experiences, and ensuring that service delivery aligns with the values of respect, reciprocity, and wholism that guide the organization’s work.
This position is being posted in response to an existing vacancy at the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle.
The driver ensures professional and reliable transit for all BANAC rostered clients with a focus on clients with barriers to vehicle access and / or experiencing accessibility challenges. This role requires a clean driving record, a commitment to passenger safety with a courteous, helpful and customer-oriented approach.
ROLE RESPONSIBLITIES:
- Client Transport: Drive clients safely to medical appointments, therapy, and health facilities on schedule. Transportations may include cultural events and activities as well. Must be willing to transport to the GTA as needed. Comfort with long-distance highway driving and navigating high-traffic urban environments is required.
- Passenger Assistance: Help clients get in and out of the vehicle and operate wheelchair lifts or ramps when needed.
- Vehicle Maintenance & Safety: Inspect the company fleet vehicle daily before driving and report any mechanical problems. Ensure both company and personal vehicles (when utilized) are kept clean and safe for clients.
- Assist with transporting fleet vehicles to and from service facilities for routine maintenance, inspections, and scheduled servicing.
- Secure Mobility Aids: Properly lock wheelchairs, walkers, and seatbelts into place.
- Record Keeping: Maintain accurate mileage logs, trip sheets, and daily reports.
- Communication: Stay in touch with team to coordinate transportation schedules and report client concerns
- Cultural Protocol: Demonstrate respect for and alignment with Indigenous cultural protocols and community traditions where appropriate.
Other duties as assigned.
What You Bring:
- Driver’s License: Valid Ontario Class G driver's license with a clean driver’s abstract.
- Vehicle & Insurance: Access to a reliable personal vehicle for occasional use. Personal vehicle must be capable of safely transporting standard, folded mobility aids, including and not limited to walkers, collapsible wheelchairs. Up to date and valid driver and vehicle insurance with appropriate coverage limits for occasional regional business travel is required.
- Certifications: Standard First Aid and CPR Certifications are required.
- Physical Ability: Capability to physically assist passengers, bend, stretch, and lift or manage mobility equipment weighing up to 50 LBS is required.
- Customer Service Oriented: high emotional intelligence with the ability to demonstrate empathy as appropriate while executing role accountabilities.
- Confidentiality: Ability to manage confidential information and situations in a professional, effective and trauma-informed manner.
- Time Management: Excellent time management and scheduling skills with the ability to proactively manage/foresee travel delays.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Demonstrated knowledge of Indigenous culture, language and traditions considered a strong asset.
- Previous experience as a professional driver is required; preferably 5 years of professional experience.
- Previous experience within primary care is a strong asset.
- Knowledge and experience working with Indigenous service providers, as well as non-Indigenous community services and supports for seniors is considered a strong asset.
What We Offer:
Our work is accountable to Indigenous communities, guided by relationships, knowledge, and practices that shape how we serve and learn together. Joining the BANAC team means contributing to work that is community-driven, relational and grounded in Indigenous values of respect, reciprocity, and wholism.
We work alongside community members, Indigenous organizations and the broader community to ensure our programs reflect the voices and strengths of those we serve.
Our full-time permanent employees enjoy a generous group health benefits package, participation in HOOPP, enrollment in our Employee Assistance Program, paid time off, cultural leave days, extended holidays, professional training opportunities and the opportunity to work in a dynamic community-based supportive work environment.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:
- Work is typically performed in community settings with some administrative work in office.
- This role requires the ability to sit for extended periods of time including and not limited to over 2 hours one-way.
- A non-smoker is strongly preferred due to the nature of providing regular travel to vulnerable sector clients with medical conditions and sensitivities including and not limited to scent sensitivity.
- Primary client travel will be conducted using assigned company fleet vehicle but on occasion, regional travel using a personal vehicle will be required, with business mileage reimbursed as per company policies and procedures.
- Regular travel to Greater Toronto Area and within the Greater Toronto Area is required.
- Regular overtime work may be required from time to time.
- Low to moderate exposure to noise in the work environment.
- Regular exposure to a moderate level of tension and anxiety due to deadlines, competing political pressures, and the competing needs and demands for limited resources.
- Periodic exposure to smoke may occur from the burning of sacred medicines: Tobacco, sweet grass, sage and / or cedar at BANAC clinics and events.
All pertinent employment conditions are specified within the employment agreement with BANAC and include the following:
- Ability to attend all BANAC worksite locations is required.
- Valid Class G Ontario Driver’s License is required.
- An up-to-date clear Vulnerable Sector Check is required.
- An up-to-date clear Criminal Record Check is required.
- An up-to-date clear TST result is required.
Applying to this Job:
The position is open to all those interested even if they do not meet all the qualifications listed. At BANAC we recognize that lived experience can provide knowledge and skills equivalent to formal education and / or professional experience. Individuals who have relevant community connections, lived experience, and / or cultural knowledge that align with the job’s responsibilities are strongly encouraged to apply. To further promote our accountability to the Indigenous communities we serve and to ensure services align with the values of respect, reciprocity, and wholism that guide the organization’s work, preference will be given to candidates of Indigenous ancestry. BANAC strongly encourages applicants to self-identify within the application process.
Please apply directly on the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle careers site at www.banac.on.ca/careers.
Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If you require accommodation for disability during any stage of the recruitment process, please advise the Human Resources Department at: HR@banac.on.ca.
Please note that the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle (BANAC) uses BambooHR as part of its recruitment and selection process. While BANAC incorporates select AI features to enhance process efficiency, BANAC remains committed to human-led decision making. BANAC recognizes that AI is not perfect, as a result all AI-generated outputs are subject to human review to ensure accuracy, inclusiveness and equitable hiring practices. At BANAC,
our goal is to use technology to support, not replace, thoughtful human decision making in recruitment and hiring.
DISCLAIMER: This job posting indicates the general scope and level of work expected. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties and / or responsibilities that will be required by the incumbent. The selected incumbent may be asked to perform other duties as required to support business needs.
