Indigenous Relations
Our approach
Our approach to Indigenous engagement is rooted in the principles of Respect, Reciprocity, Responsibility, and Relationship. We recognize the invaluable depth of Indigenous Knowledge, passed down through generations, and its essential role in enhancing scientific practices.
In many cases, BGC supports Indigenous engagement as part of client-led projects. We approach this role with humility and care, aiming to align our work with the values, responsibilities, and commitments our clients hold in their relationships with Indigenous communities. At the same time, we recognize that BGC has its own role to play in reconciliation and relationship-building—through Indigenous-led projects, capacity-building initiatives, cultural training, and our social impact program, BGC Squared.
By working together in a spirit of collaboration and mutual learning, we aim to co-develop solutions that reflect both Indigenous worldviews and technical expertise—supporting outcomes that are culturally grounded, resilient, and community-led.
Our commitment
We are committed to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples through respectful engagement, ongoing learning, and meaningful action. We acknowledge that reconciliation is an ongoing journey- one that calls for listening, reflection, adaptation, and honouring Indigenous-led, place-based ways of knowing.
In alignment with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #92, BGC uses the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as a framework for action and accountability. Our commitment is reflected in how we work:
- Supporting clients in building respectful, trust-based relationships with Indigenous communities by producing accessible, culturally appropriate technical content and communications,
- Integrating Indigenous Knowledge with Western science across project work and through BGC Squared initiatives,
- Supporting Indigenous communities in accessing capacity-building grants and education,
- Providing cultural awareness and engagement training to our teams,
- Supporting Indigenous data sovereignty by respecting and complying with OCAP® principles (Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession),
- Hiring Indigenous-owned businesses and contractors where possible to build economic opportunity,
- Fostering more inclusive and equitable hiring practices.
Through these efforts, we aim to cultivate trusted, long-standing partnerships that contribute to sustainable, community-driven outcomes.
Our impact
We recognize that trust is built through meaningful action. In many of our projects, Indigenous leadership and priorities have helped shape our approach—whether directly through Indigenous-led initiatives or indirectly as we support our clients’ efforts to engage meaningfully with communities.
At BGC, we collaborate with Indigenous communities to help support projects that are identified, defined and led by Indigenous Peoples. BGC helps communities with securing grant funding and can provide technical support throughout implementation, ensuring delivery aligns with community priorities and meets both cultural and technical standards. Examples of funding programs that we have worked with Indigenous communities to apply to include:
- Union of British Columbia Municipalities Disaster Risk Reduction-Climate Adaptation
- Indigenous Services Canada
- Province of BC Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Aquatic Habitat Restoration Fund
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Indigenous Habitat Participation Program
BGC is committed to supporting Indigenous Nations in strengthening technical and organizational capacity through training, mentorship, inclusive partnerships, and access to funding. Our social impact program, BGC Squared, plays a central role by contributing volunteer expertise, assisting with grant development, and supporting education-focused initiatives led by communities. The program enables BGC staff to collaborate directly with Indigenous partners on locally defined priorities, offering flexible, responsive support that reflects community needs. Through BGC Squared, we aim to foster long-term relationships and amplify the impact of grassroots initiatives.
Organizations We Support
We also contribute to organizations that advance Indigenous well-being, cultural learning, and food security across Canada, including:
- Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami – supporting national advocacy for Inuit rights and interests
- Friendship Centre Programs – contributing to community-led activities and services
- First Nations House of Learning – supporting cultural and academic services for Indigenous students
- Nicola Valley Food Bank – providing food access in a region impacted by environmental emergencies
In addition, BGC supports education, community science, and outreach initiatives that foster environmental stewardship and create pathways into earth science careers for Indigenous youth:
- Brad Nadjiwon Memorial Scholarship – supporting Indigenous undergraduate students pursuing earth sciences or geoscience in British Columbia
- Inuvik Science Rendezvous – participating in a remote science fair that brings hands-on learning to youth in a predominantly Inuit community
Wherever possible, we engage Indigenous-owned businesses and contractors, recognizing that inclusive procurement is a meaningful way to build local capacity and foster long-term economic opportunity.
BGC works with Indigenous Knowledge Holders to respectfully incorporate Indigenous Knowledge into technical work. This knowledge offers deep, place-based insights, often passed down through generations, that can enhance scientific understanding. For example, while instrument records may cover only recent decades, Indigenous Knowledge can provide long-term accounts of environmental change, natural hazards, and land use that are vital to informed decision-making. We integrate this knowledge through collaborative processes that honor community values and cultural ways of knowing, ensuring its application is respectful, meaningful, and scientifically relevant.
While our role varies across projects—from leading community engagement to supporting client-led consultation—BGC takes our responsibility to engage meaningfully with Indigenous Peoples seriously and works to ensure engagement is respectful, transparent, and inclusive. We support Indigenous-led processes that reflect community priorities, adapt technical content to be accessible and understandable, and, where possible, collaborate with Indigenous facilitators to guide conversations in culturally appropriate ways. These efforts are reinforced through cultural awareness training for our teams, helping to build trust and support meaningful, informed dialogue throughout project development.
Our work in action
The following projects represent a selection of work led by BGC and BGC Squared in collaboration with Indigenous clients, partners, and communities.
Sediment Transport and River Restoration
BGC partnered with Redd Fish Restoration, the Hesquiaht First Nation, Ahousaht First Nation, and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation to support salmon habitat recovery in Tranquil Creek, located within the traditional territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation. The project involved installing hydrometric stations and scour sensors to study sediment movement and spawning conditions, with the goal of developing predictive models to guide future restoration efforts across Vancouver Island.
Learn more on page 7.
Unmarked Grave Mapping and Training
In collaboration with the Acimowin Opaspiw Society, BGC provided geophysical expertise and training to support the Saddle Lake Cree Nation’s efforts to locate and map unmarked graves at former residential school sites. The project included ground-penetrating radar, drone surveys, and terrain conductivity mapping, with a focus on building local capacity for ongoing investigations.
Learn more on page 8.
Supporting First Nations in the Nicola Valley in the 2021 Emergency Flood Response
Following the devastating atmospheric river events in November 2021, BGC partnered with the Canadian Space Agency and Natural Resources Canada to support flood response efforts across British Columbia. In the Nicola Valley, BGC worked directly with First Nations communities to develop augmented reality models of flood and hazard assessments. These interactive tools facilitated conversations about local risks, helped incorporate community knowledge, and supported informed decision-making during disaster recovery and planning.
Learn more on page 5.
Mixed Reality for Mine Closure Engagement – Giant and Faro Mine Projects
BGC partnered with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to use mixed reality holographic models as a tool for engaging First Nations and local communities in mine closure planning at the Giant and Faro Mine sites. By using Microsoft HoloLens technology, BGC created immersive 3D models that allowed participants to visualize underground conditions, reclamation designs, and seasonal groundwater changes. This approach helped foster more inclusive, informed dialogue and supported community input in shaping long-term remediation outcomes.
Weather Instrumentation and Monitoring
BGC worked with several Bands in the Nicola Valley to install satellite communication-enabled rain gauges in order to collect near real-time rainfall data on reserve lands and translate this information to rainfall monitoring thresholds. Collecting rainfall data at select locations helped improve the communities’ understanding of rainfall-triggered debris flow events in order to better inform risk assessment, emergency management, and land use planning. BGC provided training to community members on how to download the data and maintain the equipment. In addition, real-time gauge data was monitored through a web-based platform, Cambio, for easier data visualization and communication.
Red Chris Mine / Tahltan Nation
Supporting client-led Indigenous engagement efforts by presenting complex technical designs in accessible formats.
We acknowledge that BGC’s offices and fieldwork take place on the traditional territories of Indigenous Peoples around the world. This includes, but is not limited to, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples in Canada; Tribal Nations in the United States; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Australia; and Indigenous communities in Chile and the Dominican Republic. We honour the deep and enduring relationships that Indigenous Peoples maintain with their lands, waters, and cultures, and we are committed to learning from and engaging respectfully with Indigenous communities wherever we work.