Canada National Benefits-Sharing Framework

In 2021, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) was tasked with developing a National Benefits-Sharing Framework (NBSF) to enhance economic reconciliation in the natural resource sector. This initiative aligns with Canada's commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The NBSF is designed to ensure that Indigenous communities—First Nations, Métis Nation, and Inuit in Inuit Nunangat—benefit directly from natural resource projects on their territories. It focuses on Indigenous participation, ownership, and decision-making in resource development and the clean energy transition, underpinned by principles of rights recognition, respect, cooperation, and partnership.
The framework's development involves engaging with Indigenous partners, provincial and territorial governments, and the natural resources industry. This collaboration aims to identify gaps and develop solutions to enhance the benefits for Indigenous communities from major resource projects, including opportunities for equity partnerships. In spring 2022, NRCan identified four pillars central to the NBSF: capacity, inclusion, partnerships, and economic benefits, focusing on overcoming barriers to Indigenous benefits from Canada’s natural resources sector.

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