Internal Community Engagement and Impact Benefit Agreements: Pathways to Community-Driven Outcomes

Abstract

Impact benefit agreements (IBAs) between Indigenous communities and mining companies have become a key instrument through which these communities engage with mineral development on their traditional lands. IBAs offer the potential to generate substantial benefits and improve quality of life for signatory communities; however, research has demonstrated that outcomes vary widely. Strong internal community engagement mechanisms are associated with positive IBA outcomes, though the nature of this engagement and the specific ways it influences outcomes has not been explored in depth. This thesis examined this relationship through a review of the literature and a qualitative case study with the community of Pinehouse, Saskatchewan, a Métis community with a culture of community engagement and experience with multiple IBAs. The findings indicate that although framed in the IBA literature as single or episodic events in the IBA process, engagement is best viewed as a sustained practice throughout the IBA lifespan. In order to have the beneficial effects described in the IBA literature, such as clarification and prioritization of community values and increased community unity, the engagement must reflect core qualities of inclusion, empowerment, and open dialogue. At the same time, the trust and capacity within the community to convene and sustain this kind of meaningful engagement develops over time and requires deliberate attention and commitment. As such, community engagement should be understood as a core capacity of governance at the community level necessary for successful and locally meaningful IBA outcomes.