Establish Relationships with Resource Agencies

Responsibility for the stewardship of lands and waters is complex and involves many players.  The activities and mandates of Indigenous Guardian programs often intersect with those of provincial, federal or territorial resource agencies, departments, or programs.

The general term “resource agency” is used to capture the range of crown government entities involved in stewardship and natural resource management. Some of the resource agencies that Indigenous Guardian programs may interact with include:

• Federal agencies such as Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada, Parks Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service
• Provincial/territorial ministries responsible for environmental protection, lands, water, wildlife management, protected area management, forestry, energy, or mining
• Municipalities or regional agencies that play a role in resource stewardship

Developing relationships with resource agencies can be an important part of Indigenous Guardian programs.

Explore this section to learn:

1. How the on-the-ground effort of resource agencies is changing.
2. The benefits of working with resource agencies.
3. The challenges of working with resource agencies.
4. Some ways to engage with resource agencies.
5. How relationships with resource agencies can be formalized.