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October 14, 2025

Tamara Krawchenko, Associate Professor in Public Administration, is the lead author of “Chapter 3:  First Nations leadership and engagement in mining” in a new Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report: . This is the latest contribution to the OECD’s international program of research on mining regions which aims to support sustainable development, resilience, and improved well-being in mineral-rich areas through evidence-based policy advice, strategic case studies, and knowledge-sharing platforms. It provides tailored strategies to governments, the private sector, Indigenous communities, and other stakeholders to help them balance economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection in the face of global demand for critical minerals and the challenges posed by mining activities

Northern Ontario is the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe Peoples, including the Ojibwe, Odawa, Potawatomi, Saulteaux, Algonquin, as well as the Cree and Oji-Cree Nations. Chapter 3 of the OECD report examines the relationships between First Nations, governments, and the mining industry in Northern Ontario, aiming to promote more equitable and sustainable outcomes for Indigenous rightsholders, respecting their sovereignty and diverse perspectives. It reviews how Canadian mineral laws recognize Indigenous rights, analyzes the environmental, social, and economic challenges and opportunities that mining presents, and highlights Indigenous-led strategies for sustainable futures.

The recommendations emerging from Chapter 3 and the wider report are pointed, practical, and comprehensive. They call for a formal mechanism to guide the mining sector toward securing Free, Prior, and Informed Consent at the exploration phase—embedding FPIC principles in Ontario’s regulatory regime—and advocate for the co-management of abandoned mines, improved environmental information and safety, and expanded access for First Nations to training, procurement, and equity stakes. Greater inclusion in decision-making, enhanced partnerships, and support for Indigenous-led education and land-based learning programmes are all identified as essential to closing socio-economic gaps. The report encourages multi-level government coordination and increased planning and financial capacity at the municipal and First Nations levels, seeking a transformation from resource extraction to lasting community well-being. Industry and business are called upon to build relationships through annual regional mining roundtables, networked procurement, and transparent reporting arrangements. OK

The OECD team drew on interviews, roundtable discussions, and other engagements with First Nations leadership, public servants at every level of government, mining industry representatives, academics, businesses, and diverse community groups across Northern Ontario to inform the work. This included interviews with First Nations leadership and experts in Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, Flying Post, Red Rock, Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, Sagamok, Mattagami, Long Lake 58, Temagami, Wanapitei, and White Fish River. The reach of the fieldwork extended into municipal governments such as Marathon, Timmins, Thunder Bay, Greenstone, and Sudbury; chambers of commerce; mining companies like Barrick, Vale, Clean Air Metals, Glencore, IAMGOLD; and an array of education institutions including Lakehead and Laurentian Universities and Northern College.

As the world’s demand for minerals climbs and as Canada pushes forward its battery materials and green transition agenda, the lessons and recommendations in this latest report will resonate well beyond the region itself, supporting inclusive development in mining regions globally.  This is Krawchenko’s twentieth OECD publication. Previous contributions have included comparative studies on land use, just transitions, rural innovation, decentralisation, and regional governance reforms; this latest effort in Northern Ontario can be understood as both a continuation and a deepening of that engagement.