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2024 marked the 10th anniversary of the Natural Resource Aboriginal Liaison Program and we’re grateful to reflect on over a decade of fostering collaboration, mutual respect, and meaningful partnerships between Indigenous communities and natural resource agencies.

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An ALP Liaison participating in a joint inspection of the Coastal GasLink pipeline construction

Established in 2014, the Aboriginal Liaison Program (ALP) is a partnership between participating First Nations across northern B.C., the BC Energy Regulator (BCER), the Canada Energy Regulator (CER), the BC Oil & Gas Research and Innovation Society (BC OGRIS), and provincial natural resource and emergency management agencies. First Nations participating in the ALP hire a Liaison to act as a facilitator of relationship building and two-way communication between Indigenous communities and government agencies. ALP Liaisons are provided opportunities for training and field participation with natural resource agency staff to increase knowledge-sharing and understanding of various activities associated with compliance monitoring, stewardship, and emergency management. The ALP Liaison can then inform community members with sound, objective and reliable information about resource activities and impacts on their traditional territories. By working directly with Liaisons, natural resource agency staff are provided with opportunities to deepen their knowledge of Indigenous people’s cultural values and history in relation to resource development in the area and learn about the communities and people they work with. The ALP goes beyond compliance and regulation. It’s about safeguarding cultural practices and the environment for future generations through ongoing training and dialogue. As we celebrate the ALP’s first decade, we acknowledge the successes that have paved the way for future growth.

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ALP Liaisons Murphy Patrick Senior, Lake Babine Nation (left) and Lester Davis, Doig River First Nation (right).

Highlights from the last decade include:

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The ALP is geographically diverse, with participants situated across the northern half of the province.

Expanded Partnerships: The ALP was first launched in 2014 as a partnership between Doig River First Nation and the BCER. Since then, the ALP has expanded and now supports ALP Liaisons from 11 First Nations and partnerships with a range of natural resource and emergency management agencies, including the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness; the Ministry of Environment and Parks; the Ministry of Forests; the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation; the Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals; and the Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship.

Community-Driven Projects: In addition to the working relationships formed with natural resource and emergency management agency partners, ALP Liaisons have also been key contributors to community-driven projects that reflect their unique values and interests, including wildlife monitoring projects, incident response coordination, and culturally significant land stewardship efforts.

Training and Capacity Building: ALP Liaisons are equipped with the skills and knowledge to monitor environmental impacts and contribute to resource management, ensuring the voices of their communities are heard in key regulatory processes that extend beyond the program.