The Development Partner Institute (DPI) and the First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) are delighted to announce a new partnership that lays the foundations for a mutually rewarding, trust-based and long-term relationship.

DPI and FNMPC are united by a set of shared beliefs:

- We believe partnerships are best founded on the principles of respect for the values and leadership of Indigenous peoples and their ongoing connection and care for their land, water, culture, and language.

- Indigenous communities have a vital role to play as partners in the economic and environmental progress of nations and economies.

- We share the belief that resource projects should act as a catalyst for the future prosperity – social and economic – of Indigenous people.

- We recognize, understand, and fully support Indigenous inclusion and guidance, based on Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), in major development projects.

- We believe that development partnership means bringing the voices of the mining value chain and the broader ecosystem together. We support the creation of a unifying vision for the future of the mining sector.

Board Chair and co-founder of DPI Mining, Peter Bryant, applauded the charter signing: “We’re honoured to join in this milestone partnership with FNMPC. It’s a significant ‘first’ for our organisation, and it’s fitting that we can extend, through this partnership, the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives to deepen understanding and trust amongst key stakeholders and owners around resource development.”

FNMPC’s network of 140+ Indigenous nations, together with their mandate to strengthen relationships between First Nations in Canada and the corporate sector, opens the path to, and helps solidify a stronger Indigenous voice at the table.

Niilo Edwards, FNMPC Chief Executive Officer, is excited about the collaborative future of both organisations and the wider mining industry. He remarked, “It’s through long-term partnerships like this, anchored in honest dialogue, that the mining industry will ensure its communities and local environments thrive, strengthening its position as an industry.”

DPI’s Executive Director, Wendy Tyrrell agrees, saying, “Shared Purpose is an important part of our Development Partner Framework, and we’re excited about the myriad of potential benefits that our shared strengths can produce.”

Mark Podlasly, a member of Canada’s Nlaka’pamux Tribe and Chief Sustainability Officer for FNMPC, couldn’t be more proud of this partnership initiative. As one of the people in the room since the earliest days of imagining the Development Partner Framework, and in further recognition of the significance of the DPI and FNMPC partnership, Mark has also joined DPI’s board.

Mark’s past and future contributions, thought leadership and unique insights are particularly valuable to both partners. The DPI warmly welcomes Mark and thanks him for his unwavering support and advocacy of DPI’s multi-stakeholder and rights holders activities.

The FNMPC and DPI share many values and both recognize that knowledge sharing and participation is a key foundation to working togther. Participating in and promoting each other’s events is one of our measures of success and ensuring these opportunities are shared with both the FNMPC Membership as well as DPI’s contacts will help anchor our community based approach of our work.

Building joint content that combine both organizations’ values and approach is already in the works:

- Youth Salon – will bring together Indigenous youth from multiple countries and connect on Zoom as a way to share stories, experiences, and hopes in context of resource development, and,

- RESCO Marketplace – is an idea where Indigenous communites will be able to share knowledge globally, a “marketplace of ideas” which everyone can access

 

About the First Nations Major Project Coalition

The First Nations Major Project Coalition (Canada) is a fully Indigenous-led, not-for-profit national society working towards the enhancement of the economic well-being of its over 140 members. Understanding that a strong economy is reliant upon a healthy environment supported by vibrant cultures, languages, and expressions of traditional laws, the FNMPC supports members to:

• Safeguard air, land, water and medicine sources from the impacts of resource development by asserting its members’ influence and traditional laws on environmental, regulatory and negotiation processes;
• Receive a fair share of benefits from projects undertaken in the traditional territories of its members, and;
• Explore ownership opportunities of projects proposed in the traditional territories of its members.

FNMPC is currently providing business capacity support to its members on 9 major projects located across Canada, each with a First Nations equity investment component, and a portfolio exceeding a combined total capital cost of over $40 billion.

Learn more about the First Nations Major Projects Coalition current and planned projects at https://fnmpc.ca/ and follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/fnmpc/