Indigenous communities are not anti-development.
We are building models of development that honour the land, respect Indigenous rights, and support strong, healthy futures for all. Across the country, First Nations are leading collaborative, values-driven approaches to land and resource stewardship. Projects like GIDT’s Critical Relationships, led by the Tahltan Nation, are showing what is possible when Indigenous leadership, Traditional Knowledge, and innovative science come together.
We are demonstrating how clean water, thriving wildlife, cultural wellbeing, and economic opportunity can all be valued in how we engage with the land. We are not saying “no” to development. We are saying,
“Do it right. Do it with us. Do it in a way that honours what matters most.”
That is why legislation like Bill 5 is concerning. At a time when Indigenous Nations are already leading the way, weakening environmental protections and consultation requirements risks undermining the progress that has been built through years of dialogue, trust, and partnership.
This is not an isolated issue. Across the sector, we are seeing the limits of systems that no longer serve the land or the people. Many current models of resource development are compliance-driven and disconnected from relationships, community values, and the land itself. There are still forces working to preserve this status quo, holding on to outdated worldviews that prioritize short-term profits over long-term wellbeing.
Yet we also see a better path emerging. In some jurisdictions, Indigenous leadership is now being meaningfully integrated into impact review and monitoring processes, ensuring that development outcomes are accountable to both environmental and community priorities. Section 35 rights continue to evolve through case law and must remain central to how development proceeds in Canada. Efforts to bypass these obligations risk creating legal uncertainty and public mistrust, which delays rather than advances projects.
The path forward is clear. Indigenous-led initiatives demonstrate how development can be done in a way that is grounded in respect, accountability, and a deep relationship with the land. As old systems begin to fail, these collaborative, values-driven approaches offer the most sustainable and hopeful way forward. Governments and industry partners have an opportunity to lean into the leadership Indigenous Nations are offering. To strengthen, not weaken, collaboration. To help scale the kind of innovation and stewardship that First Nations are already advancing.
It is a moment to choose collaboration over conflict.
If we choose to walk this path together, in true partnership, we can create a future where development respects the land, empowers communities, and builds lasting benefit for all.
It is time to listen and to build that future together.
