First Nations Major Projects Coalition

Join the conversation advancing economic reconciliation by building successful relationships with Indigenous communities and engaging in meaningful discussions. Taking place on May 28th & June 4th the Indigenous Partnerships Success Showcase will feature the Honourable Murray Sinclair as one of the keynote speakers. The two day event is a response to the growing demand for practical guidance across varying industries in how Indigenous communities and their enterprise partner...s can work together, in common purpose, for shared success. Register today for early bird tickets: https://ipss2021.com/ Available until Friday, April 30th. #canpoli #bcpoli #Indigenous #partnership #success #sustainability #economicdevelopment #canada #event #leadership

The federal budget’s promise to spend $6-billion on infrastructure improvements in Indigenous communities is a welcome move, but closing an infrastructure shortfall estimated at $30 billion means breaking down barriers to funding and creating a climate of Indigenous equity ownership in projects, say experts. Overall, there is a want from our Nations to become involved as partners in the economic activity that is happening in their territories, and our participation in major infrastructure projects is an opportunity for us to help shape the future and to strengthen our economies, said Sharleen Gale , Chief of the Fort Nelson First Nation in northern British Columbia and chair of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition. https://www.ctvnews.ca//indigenous-communities-face-unique

We are glad to see that Budget 2021 proposes distinctions-based investments of $6.0 billion over five years, starting in 2021-22, with $388.9 million ongoing, to support infrastructure in Indigenous communities, including: -$4.3 billion over four years, starting in 2021-22, for the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund, a distinctions-based fund to support immediate demands, as prioritized by Indigenous partners, with shovel ready infrastructure projects in First Nations, ...and -$1.7 billion over five years, starting in 2021-22, with $388.9 million ongoing, to cover the operations and maintenance costs of community infrastructure in First Nations communities on reserve. Link: https://www.cbc.ca//federal-budget-2021-highlights-1.59911 #canpoli #Budget2021 #Indigenous #majorprojects #economy #canada

Chastity Davis-Alphonse and Angel Ransom have been busy since last year’s inaugural event on Indigenous partnerships. Now they’re taking to the stage together to talk about how they’re bringing Indigenous knowledge, with a particular focus on women, into the formation of better organizational relationships. Anyone planning to develop business and project relationships with Indigenous peoples in Canada, or who are involved in Indigenous organizations who are seeking the best o...utcomes for their relationships, cannot afford to miss hearing what they have to say. Their joint discussion will occur on June 4 at the Resource Works Indigenous Partnerships Success Showcase taking place May 28 & June 4, 2021. https://ipss2021.com/news-%26/f/experts-on-womens-knowledge

Today the Business Council of Canada launched Clean Growth 3.0: Achieving Canadian Prosperity in a Net Zero World. There are several barriers to overcome to support Indigenous communities and their ability to capitalize on such initiatives. Access to competitive risk capital will be necessary for Indigenous peoples to co-invest in major projects. As more projects come on board, capacity building will be essential to assist Indigenous communities in assessing the merits of su...ch projects and in negotiating and managing their participation in them. The Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation is an important new initiative but more can be done to help Indigenous peoples secure partnerships in natural resource projects. The government should appoint an expert panel of Indigenous business leaders and financial executives to examine innovative ways to finance Indigenous-owned businesses and provide them with access to risk capital for investment in major projects. This should include assessment of whether there is a larger role for the Canada Infrastructure Bank, and a review of best practices for creating equity partnerships for low-carbon and other infrastructure initiatives. https://thebusinesscouncil.ca/report/clean-growth-3-0/

FNMPC in the News! "First Nations will have a greater say on how resource projects like mines and pipelines get approved under the new federal Impact Assessment Act, but understanding how to capitalize on some of the new powers it grants them is going to take some homework. To help First Nations understand their new powers and responsibilities the First Nations Major Projects Coalition has published a new 145-page technical guidelines and series of video tutorials on the Impact Assessment Act (IA) and how it differs from the old Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) that it replaces"

The 2020 FNMPC Annual Report is Here! - https://mailchi.mp/f4bf25ccb329/jpgladujoinsfnmpc-5080312

New Guidelines to help First Nations more effectively participate in a new Impact Assessment Process!

Help us spread the word and share this exciting new resource developed by the FNMPC for Indigenous communities!

Exciting announcement today! Extremely proud of this groundbreaking work which will be beneficial for Indigenous communities across Canada!

Macdonald Laurier Institute - Webinar - Where We Go From Here: Indigenous Prosperity at a Crossroads - September 29th - https://mailchi.mp/d5ac15ff515f/jpgladujoinsfnmpc-5063528

Save the Dates - FNMPC Virtual Meetings - https://mailchi.mp/643c36d31b2d/jpgladujoinsfnmpc-5060480

News Release - JP Gladu joins First Nations Major Projects Coalition as Strategic Advisor - https://mailchi.mp/9d5aba3bad9b/jpgladujoinsfnmpc

FNMPC’s policy concept for a revolving loan facility receives endorsements by the BC Chamber of Commerce and the Vancouver Board of Trade As part of a response to the economic impacts of COVID-19, the First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) submitted a policy paper to the BC Government calling on the province to establish a revolving loan facility to foster greater access to capital for equity investment in major projects by Indigenous communities. This week, FNMPC’s...Continue reading

First Nations Major Projects Coalition appreciates the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s mention of our revolving loan facility concept as a means for fostering greater indigenous economic participation, including equity ownership of projects, in BC’s economy as part of our economic recovery. Read about it on page 32 #indigenous #bcbusiness #bcpoli

FNMPC is seeking proposals from qualified firms and / or individuals to provide comprehensive communications services to our growing organization. Please submit your proposals to our Executive Director by email [email protected] by September 10, 2020. For further details, please refer to the information attached in this post.

Moody's Investor Service Report: "Focus on Indigenous rights increasingly vital for project execution, corporate activities." Report highlights the following: The absence of social license from the relevant Indigenous communities can be credit negative for corporations. Indigenous Communities objecting to a specific project or activity is an event risk that cannot be determined in advance with certainty, a credit negative for corporations planning to develop projects or activ...ities. Market developments are driving investments in lands that contain commercially desirable and untapped natural resources and where Aboriginal and treaty rights exist. Moreover, page 9 of the report addresses the need for Indigenous communities to have capacity to put in place a "clear, effective, transparent governance structure and there is a clear land use plan; and that Indigenous Communities have access to robust capacity to assess project/activity." #indigenous #investing #infrastructure https://www.linkedin.com//fnmpc_indigenous-rights-increasi

Chair’s message on National Indigenous Peoples Day: On behalf of the Board of Directors of FNMPC, I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy National Indigenous Peoples Day. This day provides us with the opportunity to look back on where we have come from and where we are going. A little over 5 years ago, the services provided by FNMPC were merely a vision set by a small number of Chiefs and community leaders from communities in northern BC. The vision was to c...Continue reading

FNMPC is pleased to share the release of our discussion paper "The Role of Indigenous People in Major Projects Part II - Indigenous Ownership of Electricity Infrastructure: A Case Study." This discussion paper is a follow-up to the First Nations Major Project Coalition’s 2019 paper titled The Role of Indigenous People in Major Project Development: Paths for Indigenous Participation in Electricity Infrastructure. That paper detailed the rapid rise of Indigenous equity owner...ship arrangements around the world in energy generation, transmission and distribution sectors. Yet despite this global phenomenon, progress in British Columbia has been slow and challenging. This Part 2 follow-up paper aims to help enable the increased adoption of Indigenous equity-ownership arrangements by providing a detailed, specific and scalable partnership model, focused on transmission development. In particular, it applies lessons learned from 60 Indigenous and local equity ownership models in the first report to the Kitimat Transmission Line, a hypothetical 16 BC First Nations-initiated 530 km 500kv direct current electricity transmission line from Prince George to Kitimat to service a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) liquefaction plant. This paper addresses the technical, financial, environmental, legal, political and social aspects of the hypothetical project. It also details how the principles of the 2007 United Nations Declaration on Indigenous People (UNDRIP) can be leveraged to guide this equity ownership arrangement as well as provide First Nations with important own source revenues to enable ongoing advances in Indigenous self-determination and reconciliation for the betterment of BC. Click on the link below to view the discussion paper.

We are pleased to release a new video profiling the success of our 3rd annual Industry Engagement Event held in Prince George on March 2 and 3, 2020. Over 250 delegates were in attendance, representing First Nations from across Canada as well as industry and government. This video was completed to capture highlights from the event, as well as to provide an account of the positive impact #FNMPC’s service delivery is having on our member First Nations and the external parties we engage with. Head to our website, www.fnmpc.ca, to subscribe to our Newsletter for updates on next year's event.

To rebuild the economy after Covid we need to push ahead with major projects like expanding the electricity power grid in partnership with First Nations, FNMPC Chair Chief Sharleen Gale. https://policyoptions.irpp.org//first-nations-need-to-pla/

FNMPC is pleased to share the news that our Chair Chief Sharleen Gale was asked to serve on the BC Premier’s Economic Recovery Task Force that was announced today as part of BC’s economic response to COVID-19. FNMPC is pleased to contribute to this important work during these challenging times.

Thank you to presenters, delegates, and sponsors for joining us in Lheidli T'enneh Territory (Prince George) for the #FNMPC 3rd Annual Industry Engagement Event. Full summary: http://bit.ly/2020IEE-summary

Yesterday, #FNMPC released recommendations to the Government of Canada concerning the establishment of a National Benefits Sharing Framework for major resource projects on Indigenous territory. Thanks to CKPG News for the story. Link to release: http://bit.ly/fnmpcframework

The First Nations Major Projects Coalition has released several recommendations on how the federal government should approach development of a new national benefits sharing framework for major projects on Indigenous territory. The recommendations were released during the #FNMPC 3rd Annual Industry Engagement Event in the #cityofPG. FNMPC Chair Chief Sharleen Gale says The development of the national benefits sharing framework provides the Government of Canada with an opportunity to effect change that can bring Indigenous Communities into the mainstream of our economy.

Will Osler, a partner with Bennett Jones, said a guiding principle for their sales process was that Indigenous communities should have meaningful ownership of Alberta PowerLine. The days of revenue-sharing and community benefits agreements are fading fast. Indigenous communities want to own or be part-owners of the projects in their territories. Osler spoke at Day Two of the #FNMPC 3rd Annual Industry Engagement Event in the #cityofPG.

The room is packed again for Day Two of the #FNMPC 3rd Annual Industry Engagement Event, underway in the #cityofPG. Michael Cameron with the Industry Training Authority (ITA) in BC says current statistics for BC suggest that over 900,000 people will be required to fill jobs in the next decade. Many of those will be skilled Trades jobs that pay between $70000-$100000 per year. He says the future is bright for any indigenous youth considering a career in the Trades.

Local media interest in our Industry Engagement Event has been extremely high, as indigenous involvement with major projects has been at the forefront in recent weeks. #FNMPC Executive Director Niilo Edwards tells the media that indigenous communities and nations must be involved in all projects on their territories. He added that the Coalition provides tools and support to its 65 indigenous members to help make the journey of working on major projects as successful as possible.

The Presenting Sponsor of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition 3rd Annual Industry Engagement Event is Rio Tinto. Emmanuel Bergeron, Director of Regional Economic Development for Rio Tinto, shared stories of bringing Innovation & Technology to several communities that Rio Tinto works with around the world. He told the audience of over 200 that sharing innovation and technology with local communities where Rio Tinto conducts business is good for both parties.