FOUNDATION FRAMEWORK

Jeremiah Pariag , Indigenous Engagement Practice Lead at HDR , has extensive experience in Indigenous relations , including the Ontario Line transit project . In this interview , he discusses the importance of early engagement , trust-building and fostering positive relationships for future infrastructure projects .

Why is it important to look beyond traditional engagement strategies to seek input from Indigenous communities on critical infrastructure projects ?

What we ’ re seeing now is a direct link between project viability and Indigenous participation on projects in Canada . We ’ ve seen this in some infrastructure sectors for quite some time . Indigenous involvement on mining and energy projects has been common for several years , and recently we ’ ve seen Indigenous participation programmes become more established on transit projects .

Historically , many mining and energy projects took place in less developed areas , so it was easier for government agencies and developers to recognise Indigenous perspectives due to the proximity of those projects to Indigenous communities . However , we ’ re now seeing a shift toward greater

Indigenous engagement in urban areas . This shift reflects the increased role and strength of Indigenous communities in engagement processes when building comprehensive support is critical . What we ’ ve learned from these other industries is relevant to transit projects as well , if owners and project leaders don ’ t put in the work to properly engage Indigenous communities , projects can face many hurdles .

In Canada , the government requires public agencies and private proponents to engage or consult with Indigenous communities who might be adversely impacted by , or have an interest in , a project . These impacts could be through the disruption of fishing , hunting and harvesting activities , or through disturbances to cultural and archaeological resources . While unconditional consent is usually not required , the preference of the government is for agencies to meaningfully engage Indigenous communities .

www . intelligentbuild . tech 17