Building trust and inclusion: Developing an Indigenous-led compliance verification
TidalCo: collaborated with the Indigenous Monitoring Subcommittee (IMSC) to create a pioneering, Indigenous-led Compliance Verification Activity (CVA) process, tailored to address specific cultural and environmental impacts often overlooked by standard regulatory frameworks. Recognizing that traditional processes frequently miss Indigenous perspectives, Tidal brought together a design team of Indigenous leaders, Federal representatives, and regulatory experts to surface and define these unique risks.
Over eight weeks, we crafted a detailed, four-level process map that honored Indigenous worldviews, highlighting issues such as the sacred resting places of Ancestors, which conventional approaches to “safety”; often disregard. Under the leadership of IMSC Chair Martin Whitney, the design process culminated in a powerful one-day gathering, where First Nations and Métis Nations monitors, federal officials, and energy project proponents worked side by side to refine and validate the CVA framework. Tidal’s facilitation ensured every voice was heard and every detail addressed, with follow-up sessions to incorporate feedback. The result was a clear, actionable CVA framework that fully integrated Indigenous priorities and was ready for immediate implementation. This co-created approach empowered stakeholders with a sense of shared ownership, solidifying commitment to a process that respects and protects Indigenous heritage, lands, and waterways.
“Our work with Tidal pushed us to build, test, and refine a process map that illustrates rigor and value.”
