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Your Voice Matters: Community Consultation on Industry Development

CFNW Council began this consultation process to hear directly from you — our community members — about your thoughts, hopes, and concerns regarding industry development projects. Our goal is to create open and honest conversations so that future decisions truly reflect what matters most to everyone in Waswanipi.

Over the past few months, Boreala Management has organized interviews and group discussions with Tallymen, Elders, youth, women, and others. By listening to your stories and experiences, we’ve gained valuable insights that will guide our path forward on industry development.

Every Voice Matters

CFNW Council are committed to making sure every voice is heard. Your ideas that reflect your needs help us work together to prioritize initiatives that serve the best interests of the community and meet your expectations.

Your Input Shapes Policy

This process created a space for every community member to express their opinions on future Industry Development Agreements coming to CFNW and the feedback gathered will help shape policy related to industry development affecting Waswanipi.

Key Highlights of the Community Consultations

The Importance of the Tallymen
  • Tallymen, as primary stewards of the land, must be consulted first in all decision-making processes. Their knowledge of the land and that of their families is essential to protect the land and guide responsible development.
  • Communication must be clear, consistent and conducted in Cree as well as English or French.
  • All decisions and agreements must be formally documented and shared with the community.
  • The community should be supported by independent experts to fully understand and evaluate proposed projects such as legal and technical experts.

All participants emphasized the importance of defining community benefits collectively. Community benefits should focus on:

  • Local jobs and training
  • Housing and infrastructure
  • Education
  • Traditional knowledge, cultural, and land-based programs
  • Investments that strengthen the whole community rather than individual payments
  • Tallymen and their families should receive trapline benefits first, reflecting their role as land stewards. These benefits must then be shared equitably with the wider community through transparent management, accountability and long-term oversight.
  • Members of the community indicated they would like consultations organized by project or industry type. They also shared a preference for starting with one-on-one sessions with the Tallymen and later expanding to larger groups with the Community members.

Community members shared concerns that decisions are sometimes made without enough community input. Many called for clearer and more consistent processes, yearly reviews, impact studies, stronger oversight of agreements, and better enforcement when commitments are not respected to make sure companies are held accountable and that community interests are protected.

What's Next

Sharing your ideas and feedback during the consultation on future industry development agreements has been very valuable to Leadership. CFNW Council are carefully reviewing all input to shape recommendations that will strengthen future consultations and ensure everyone’s voice is heard.

Over the next year, these key recommendations will be developed into clear actions, and we’ll be sharing updates with the community as progress is made.

Together, we’re a more inclusive, transparent and effective process for the future of the community’s security and growth!