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The IBA Community Toolkit

Download (EN) Download (FR) Or request a hard copy

The IBA Community Toolkit is a free resource for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities in Canada considering impact and benefit agreements, specifically those with mining companies.

While the Toolkit focuses primarily on the mining industry, many of the issues and processes   addressed in the Toolkit are relevant to the making of agreements in other industry sectors and contexts, including protected areas, oil and gas, hydro and forestry. The goal of the Toolkit is to help communities, negotiators and consultants achieve positive agreements for Indigenous communities.

With the help of several IBA experts, The Gordon Foundation and The Firelight Group teamed up with author Ginger Gibson to update the Toolkit given the recent changes in legislation and court decisions which may impact negotiations. The new Toolkit is now available for order.

Training and Support

If you need support or training in use of the Toolkit, our training team consists of professionals across Canada with experience in community based negotiations.

IBA Community Toolkit Workshops

Registered charities looking to host an IBA Community Toolkit workshop for the benefit of First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities in Canada should contact The Gordon Foundation to arrange for a trained workshop leader and complimentary Toolkits.

For more information

[email protected] 

"Through our experience as negotiators and researchers, we have learned that the process is absolutely critical. Some communities with little legal leverage have achieved successful agreements because they took the time to work out exactly what they wanted and then stayed united, even when things got tough."

Ginger Gibson

Request a print copy of the IBA Community Toolkit.

Links to download digital copies in French or English can be found above.

IBA Community Toolkit
IBA Community Toolkit
For an Indigenous Community For Industry

For An Indigenous Community

Members of Indigenous Communities can request a copy of the IBA Community Toolkit free of charge by emailing [email protected]. Please include how many copies you would like, your preferred language and where you would like the toolkits sent.

For Industry

Thank you for your interest in the IBA Community Toolkit.

How To Order Your Copy

The toolkit is $75 CAD for each copy.

Download the order form

Send a cheque for $75 CAD payable to the Walter and Duncan Gordon Charitable Foundation, along with your completed order form to:

The Gordon Foundation

11 Church Street, Suite 400,
Toronto, ON
M5E 1W1

Links and External Resources

The following resources and links have been curated to offer further support to First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities working on impact and benefit agreements. These resources include national and international benchmarks and tools with a focus on topics including mining, among other industries.

  • The First Nations Environmental Assessment Toolkit

    Provides in-depth information about the environmental assessment process: http://www.fneatwg.org

  • The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

    Provides materials on the nature of the process and public involvement in environmental assessments http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca

  • The IBA Research Network

    Provides on-line information and resources on IBAs in Canada: http://www.impactandbenefit.com

  • Natural Resources Canada

    NRCan’s mining pages provide a wide range of on-line resources, including an Aboriginal participation section (http://www.rncan-nrcan.gc.ca/smm-mms/abor-auto/index-eng.htm), and the downloadable Mining Information Kit for Aboriginal Communities (http://www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/mms-smm/abor-auto/htm/kit-gui-eng.htm).

  • The Agreement, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements Project

    Australia hosts a database of agreements and other resources: http://www.atns.net.au

  • The Mining Industry Human Resources Council

    Hosts a portal for Aboriginal communities to learn more about careers in mining including education and training programs, and resources such as job descriptions and a downloadable guide on occupations in mining: http://www.aboriginalmining.ca

  • MiningWatch Canada

    Provides news and resources at www.miningwatch.ca, including the primer Mining Investors: Understanding the legal structure of a mining company and identifying its management, shareholders and relationship with the financial markets http://www.wman-info.org/resources/technicalreports/Mining_Investors.pdf

  • Mines and Communities

    News and resources about mining, particularly as they affect indigenous and land-based peoples: http://www.minesandcommunities.org

  • Access and Benefit Agreements

    Very similar to IBAs (and in some cases the term is interchangeable with an IBA), but certain parts of Canada have specific requirements set out under legislation (e.g., the Yukon Oil and Gas Act), or land claim agreements. The Government of Yukon and Kaska Nation, for example, have provided a short Benefits Agreement template publicly available at http://www.emr.gov.yk.ca/oilandgas/pdf/template_benefitsagreement.doc

  • Aboriginal Mapping Network

    Supports indigenous peoples involved in land claims, treaty negotiations and resource development, with common tools, such as traditional use studies, GIS mapping and other information systems http://www.nativemaps.org

Download a digital copy of the IBA Community Toolkit

Download (EN) Download (FR)