We treat Indigenous engagement as a foundational development responsibility, not a compliance box to check. Our approach is to engage early, but with enough work completed to make that engagement meaningful.
Before introducing a project to Indigenous communities, we develop the concept to a level where its key parameters, potential impacts, and constraints can be clearly explained. This includes preliminary technical and environmental work and early discussions with relevant regulators to test our assumptions and better understand the applicable regulatory framework.
We then seek to engage Indigenous communities once there is a coherent project to discuss, but while the project remains early enough for their perspectives to meaningfully inform its development.
What this means in practice:
We undertake sufficient technical, environmental, and regulatory diligence to ensure that our first conversations are based on credible information rather than speculation.
We engage Indigenous communities early in project development, once key project parameters have been established and tested, rather than waiting for a formal consultation requirement or permitting process.
We work with the provincial Department of Indigenous Affairs to understand the appropriate consultation and engagement framework. We do not assume who should be involved.
We retain experienced Indigenous engagement advisors as part of our project team, rather than bringing them in only when required by a regulatory process.
We maintain a live issue register and respond to concerns raised. Engagement is intended to be an ongoing dialogue as the project develops, not a one-time notification.
Our longer-term goal is economic partnership, not simply consultation. We are committed to exploring with Indigenous governments the conditions under which structured economic participation in a project's long-term value could be established consistent with each community's priorities and governance framework.
The specific form of any economic partnership should be developed with Indigenous governments, not determined or announced unilaterally by us.