Social Acceptance:
In a Nutshell
Companies that want to develop
natural resources in BC must
not only acquire the permits
to proceed but also the tacit
acceptance and ongoing
approval of their various
stakeholders, which may include
local communities and NGOs.
There has been a seismic shift in how
resource companies, First Nations, and other
stakeholders approach working together.
Old Ways
New Ways
were
• Interactionsprocessgoverned by the • Inoadditioni etos regulatoryeacceptance,l
regulatory
and companies
c mpan
now s ek socia
were primarily concerned with
meeting legal requirements.
on the regulatory
• Companies relied assumption that it
process under the
would result in First Nations’ consent.
Nations,
• Companies met with Firstplans and
as required, stating their
gathering input but would proceed
with project applications despite
concerns that had been raised.
engagement was
• First Nations get project approval;
transactional to
companies ended engagement
once the project began.
of
• Companies decided ter ms for
compensation – money given
access granted.
and
• After regulatory compliancemet,
community benefits were
companies had the final say in
projects and were willing to use legal
means to access those resources.
acceptance to operate, which
is granted by the net work of
stakeholders — local communities,
NGOs, etc. — in addition to First
Nations. It is not a formal piece of
paper, but general acceptance to
proceed.
nies us meeting to
• C o m p atraditionale knowledgesand
gather
understanding of First Nations’
values and work to address concerns
in a mutually acceptable mann