Our Work

The work of the IAMC continues to advance opportunities for Indigenous participation in the regulation of natural resource development, advance Indigenous priorities for exercising jurisdiction, economic reconciliation, and create confidence in the regulatory system.

Over the years, the Line 3 IAMC:

• 2017: Was the first of its kind, bringing together impacted Indigenous communities, regulatory authorities, and relevant federal departments to facilitate a more collaborative, inclusive and transparent approach to monitoring and oversight of a major resource project.
• 2017-now: Established and maintained the Indigenous Monitoring Program to ensure that Indigenous peoples are involved in the monitoring of environmental, safety, and culturally sensitive aspects related to Line 3 activities over its lifecycle, with meaningful and adequate consideration of traditional land use, sacred sites, historical knowledge, and the diversity of Indigenous traditional and cultural worldviews.
• 2017-now: Hosted annual regional engagement sessions and Line-Wide Gatherings and invited impacted Nations to participate to ensure that their interests, priorities and concerns were heard to guide and inform the work of the IAMC. 
• 2017-now: Provided input and participated in Emergency Management exercises with the regulator and proponent. 
• 2019: Obtained commitment from Canada for the IAMC for the lifecycle of the project and co-developed 55 recommendations to the Government of Canada to respond to, relating to systemic barriers to Indigenous inclusion in the natural resource sector. 
• 2021: Published a “Wise Practices” report to inform Indigenous participation in project-related consultation and engagement activities with the Crown and proponents. The report is informed by interviews with over 30 Indigenous representatives from across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba with experience managing lands and resources, consultation and business development activities for their Nations.
• 2021: Developed and published an Emergency Preparedness Report that investigated the emergency preparedness of 98 Indigenous communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba deemed potentially affected by the replacement project. 
• 2023: Hired two full-time Indigenous staff to support the Indigenous Caucus for the first time. 
• 2023: Launched the pilot e-learning program “Training for Indigenous Regulatory Involvement” to support Indigenous involvement and oversight in the CER’s regulatory review process for pipeline projects.
• 2023: Played a key role in demonstrating how the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA) can be implemented in the context of regulatory oversight by supporting the co-development of the UNDA Action Plan Measure 34.
• 2023: A horizontal program evaluation concluded that the Line 3 IAMC has effectively advocated for and advanced Indigenous priorities at the forefront of regulatory oversight, leading to 10 recommendations that are being addressed by a Management Response and Action Plan. The IAMCs are seen by Indigenous Caucus members as a positive step forward for the Crown in living up to its commitments, and as a more effective mechanism to support Indigenous engagement and the provision of advice and recommendations to federal regulatory bodies and decision-makers.