From Opening Drums to Closing Sessions: BCNRF 2026 Centers Indigenous Partnership for Shared Future
PRINCE GEORGE – Although the 23rd Annual BC Natural Resources Forum (BCNRF) ran under the banner Momentum for Continued Growth: Building BC’s Resource Future, the message from the ground was unmistakable right from the opening: Indigenous participation must be woven into every layer of that future.
Official events started with a Tuesday evening banquet, which was kicked off with a performance from Lheidli T’enneh First Nation’s Khast’an Drummers, setting the proceedings in local territory and traditions.
In his keynote speech at the banquet, Premier David Eby was passionate articulating his belief in the importance of full First Nations participation in the natural resource sector.
“Across the sector, the message is clear. When we provide certainty, clear timelines and strong partnership with First Nations, investment follows,” Eby said.
“Right now, tens of billions of dollars of investment are moving ahead in British Columbia – and this is not despite partnerships with First Nations, but because of them.”
Nowhere is this clearer, he said, than in the North Coast Transmission Line. This foundational piece of economic infrastructure will deliver more than electricity; it will deliver certainty and reliability.
“This is a multi-billion-dollar piece of economic infrastructure, and it’s moving forward quickly for just one reason – because it’s being built with First Nations.”
Throughout the conference, each day opened with a blessing from Elder Lenora White, reminding delegates that true momentum requires grounding in respect and reality.
Prior to the first session on Wednesday, as part of her welcome to conference attendees, Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dolleen Logan emphasized the need for everyone to work together.
“This year’s theme is Our Resources, Our Future and there should be a ‘we’ in there. Because all these major projects coming in, we can’t do it alone. We have to do it together, because, just as an example with our wind project, [Nilhts’i] Ecoener, Lheidli T’enneh has no idea what to do with a wind farm, how to build it. It was with their expertise, the government’s expertise that we were able to get this,” Logan said.
“So, any projects that are coming in, it’s definitely a ‘we’ – we do it together. This is how we work together for our future.”
Echoing the Premier’s sentiments, the Honourable Laurel Broten said that “Canada’s resources are world-class, but their success depends on the people and partnerships that bring projects to life. That includes Indigenous leadership at the heart of development,” she said.
“Across BC, more than 200 First Nations, and hundreds and thousands of Indigenous people are actively shaping development decisions, governance and benefits structures.”
Broten added that mining is a top private-sector partner in the North, and “successful projects are built with Indigenous communities, not just near them. That is a strength.”
The theme continued throughout the conference as speakers upheld the requirements of working together and Indigenous participation.
The message was clear: consultation alone won’t cut it. True momentum requires genuine collaboration, partnership, and economic reconciliation with First Nations leaders and communities— ensuring shared prosperity as BC’s resource sector evolves.