How Indigenous Partnerships Can Strengthen Energy Projects
By Paula McGarrigle, President & CEO, Solas Energy
Energy projects exist within communities and on lands with histories, relationships and existing interests that extend far beyond the boundaries of a project site. For project developers, meaningful Indigenous engagement is therefore an important part of responsible project development.
It can also strengthen projects in practical ways. When Indigenous communities are engaged early and meaningfully, project teams have an opportunity to incorporate local knowledge, understand community priorities, identify concerns earlier and develop relationships that can continue throughout the life of a project.
The quality of that relationship can influence the quality of the project.
Engagement works best when it begins early
Timing matters. When engagement begins after major project decisions have already been made, the range of meaningful options available to communities and project teams may be limited.
Early engagement creates more room for dialogue. It allows project teams to discuss the opportunity before decisions become fixed and gives Indigenous communities greater opportunity to understand the project, raise questions and identify priorities.
This can improve the development process for everyone involved.
Local knowledge can improve project understanding
Project development often relies on technical studies, datasets, modelling and desktop research. Those tools are valuable. They are also only part of the picture.
Indigenous communities can bring knowledge of the land, local conditions, environmental patterns, cultural priorities and community history that may not be fully represented in conventional project analysis.
Creating space for that knowledge can reveal considerations that influence project planning. The result can be a more complete understanding of the environment in which the project will operate.
Partnership changes the development conversation
Meaningful partnership creates opportunities to discuss questions such as:
- What does this project mean for the community?
- What outcomes matter locally?
- Where are the greatest concerns?
- What opportunities could create shared value?
- How should benefits be structured?
- What does a long-term relationship look like?
- How can community priorities be incorporated into project decisions?
These conversations require time and consistency. They also require project teams to approach engagement with a willingness to listen and adapt.
Economic participation can create long-term alignment
Indigenous participation in energy projects can take many forms. Depending on the project and community, opportunities may include ownership, investment, procurement, employment, contracting, training or other forms of economic participation. The appropriate structure will vary.
The conversation should begin with an understanding of community priorities and project circumstances. When economic participation aligns with community objectives, it can create long-term interests in the success of a project.
That can contribute to stronger relationships throughout development and operations.
Trust is built through consistency
A project can have a strong engagement plan on paper and still struggle if the relationship is treated as a series of transactions. Trust develops through repeated interactions.
That means following through on commitments, communicating when circumstances change, creating opportunities for meaningful input and maintaining relationships beyond individual regulatory milestones.
For long-life energy infrastructure, this matters. The relationship established during development may continue through construction, operations, expansion, reclamation and future projects.
Indigenous partnerships belong within project strategy
Indigenous engagement intersects with technical and commercial project planning. Considering these relationships alongside other project factors from the beginning can create more opportunities for collaborative solutions.
That can influence:
- project siting
- environmental planning
- project design
- construction planning
- procurement
- workforce development
- economic participation
- risk management
- long-term operations
The earlier these considerations are incorporated, the more opportunities there are to develop solutions collaboratively.
Stronger relationships can create stronger projects
Every energy project carries uncertainty. Community relationships deserve the same level of care and long-term thinking applied to other major project risks and opportunities.
Meaningful Indigenous partnerships can provide valuable knowledge, create economic opportunities, strengthen local relationships and contribute to projects that are better aligned with the communities and environments in which they operate.
That requires sustained engagement, thoughtful planning and a willingness to build relationships that have value throughout the life of a project.
Solas Energy supports organizations developing Indigenous energy partnerships and navigating the complex relationships between energy development, community priorities and long-term project outcomes. Our approach brings strategic, technical and commercial considerations together to help create partnerships built for the full life of an energy project.