PUBLICATIONS STUDIES, & REPORTS

IN 2022, PDAC PUBLISHED SEVERAL IMPORTANT RESOURCES & GUIDES IN AN EFFORT TO ELEVATE INDUSTRY STANDARDS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, INDIGENOUS PARTICIPATION AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS.

The association works to produce these materials to further our goals of providing PDAC members with relevant, practical and tangible guides for their projects.

The Social Impact of Mineral Development Projects in Indigenous Communities (the Study) was a years-long project that aimed to identify the impacts and demands on social infrastructure for Indigenous communities within proximity to mineral development projects in Canada.

The Study’s goal was to create recommendations and practical strategies that resource development companies could use to mitigate the social impacts of their projects on Indigenous women, families and their community. Using a gendered lens, the Study undertook research and interviewed women in host Indigenous communities.

This project was inspired by recommendations made to the extractive sector found in the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls . The findings in that report called upon governments and industry to recognize that, “social infrastructure must be expanded and service capacity built to meet the anticipated needs of the host communities in advance of the start of projects”.

The Study also aligns with the Canadian federal government’s commitment to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and accelerate the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDA) National Action Plan

PDAC engaged SOOP Strategies to complete the Study, who have a wealth of experience in the mining industry producing studies, data and impact analysis, community relations and sustainability reports.

The Study was published on September 15, 2022.

This report aimed to educate exploration companies, contractors, and all stakeholders, about steps they can take to ensure Indigenous communities and businesses participate fruitfully in mineral exploration. This was accomplished by uncovering: how exploration projects can influence the economic position of an Indigenous community, what economic opportunities exploration activities currently provide for Indigenous communities, what barriers communities face in fully realizing economic opportunities arising from mineral exploration, what strategies communities are currently employing to take full advantage of these economic opportunities, and how the economic impacts of exploration activities vary across jurisdictions and why.

The Report was compiled from extensive research, surveys, interviews, and engagement with Indigenous communities, which was overseen by a panel of advisors who each brought regional expertise to the subject matter.

The Report’s findings identified systemic and practical barriers hindering the participation of communities, and offered tangible solutions for communities to take advantage of these opportunities, and realize the maximum economic benefit of these projects.

The Report was published on June 23, 2022.