Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) in Canada and North America

What are Reconciliation Action Plans?

Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) are living documents that outline how organizations will foster respectful relationships and create opportunities with Indigenous Peoples. Typical RAP elements include clear goals and timelines, cultural-awareness training, procurement from Indigenous suppliers, recruitment and mentoring of Indigenous employees, acknowledging historical harms and reviewing internal policiesontarioplanners.ca. Effective RAPs are co‑created with Indigenous Nations and organizations, compensate Indigenous knowledge-holders, and evolve through ongoing leadership supportontarioplanners.ca. They transform good intentions into concrete actionontarioplanners.ca.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action 92 and UNDRIP

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) calls on corporate Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as a framework for reconciliation. Call to Action 92 asks companies to obtain free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) before economic projects, ensure equitable access to jobs and training, and provide staff education on Indigenous history, UNDRIP and Treatiescourseware.acadiau.ca. Canada’s 2021 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act affirms UNDRIP, commits to aligning federal laws with the declaration and clarifies that FPIC is about meaningful participation, not a vetojustice.gc.cajustice.gc.ca. The Government of Canada’s duty to consult is now tied to seeking FPIC through early and regular engagement and including Indigenous knowledge in decision‑makingcanada.ca.

Why RAPs Matter

Economic Imperative

Indigenous economies are growing but still constrained by systemic barriers. Indigenous GDP rose from $41.7 billion (2012) to $54.1 billion (2019) and $97 billion (2020)niedb-cndea.ca. Indigenous businesses already contribute over $30 billion annuallythebusinesscouncil.ca, yet persistent employment and participation gaps reduce Canada’s GDP by $36 billionthebusinesscouncil.ca. The Indigenomics Institute envisions a $100 billion Indigenous economy within five years and highlights that 5 % government procurement could add $11 billion while 5 % corporate procurement could contribute $23.6 billionindigenomics.com.

Moral and Legal Imperative

RAPs address human rights and help restore trust. They respond to UNDRIP, TRC calls, the duty to consult and FPIC obligations. Ignoring reconciliation risks legal delays, reputational damage and continued socio‑economic disparities. Inaction is costly: missed procurement opportunities, stunted economic growth and ongoing harm to communitiesthebusinesscouncil.ca.

Current Indigenous Economy and Future Outlook

IndicatorCurrent statusFuture trend and projectionIndigenous economic outputIndigenous GDP grew to $97 billion by 2020niedb-cndea.ca; Indigenous businesses contribute > $30 billion annuallythebusinesscouncil.ca.Goal to build a $100 billion Indigenous economy within the next five yearsthebusinesscouncil.ca.Employment gapIndigenous peoples are overrepresented in low‑paying sectors and face higher unemployment and lower incomessmith.queensu.ca.Closing the gap could add $36 billion to Canada’s GDPthebusinesscouncil.ca.ProcurementMinimal Indigenous share of total procurement.5 % government and 5 % corporate procurement could inject $34.6 billion into the Indigenous economyindigenomics.com.Digital adoptionAI adoption remains limited; one‑third of band councils have not adopted AI, another third are exploring ittechnologycouncil.ca.The First Nations Technology Council aims to train 1,200 Indigenous learners and develop an AI toolkit to reach 7,000 peopletechnologycouncil.ca.

Best Practices and Themes Across RAPs

• Leadership & governance: Clear leadership accountability and KPIs; KPMG emphasizes that what gets measured gets donekpmg.com.
• Employment & inclusive workplace: Recruitment, mentorship and decolonized hiring procedureskpmg.com.
• Economic reconciliation & procurement: Targets for Indigenous supplier spend; CN, TELUS and RBC include economic pillarsglobenewswire.comglobenewswire.com.
• Education & cultural awareness: Training on Indigenous history, residential schools, UNDRIP and anti‑racism is mandatorycourseware.acadiau.ca.
• Community engagement: Meaningful consultation and FPIC; RBC engaged more than 400 Indigenous communities through BOOM InterTribalfinance.yahoo.com.
• Environmental stewardship: Many RAPs include commitments to environmental and cultural protection.
• Digital & AI innovation: TELUS integrates AI ethics and digital inclusionglobenewswire.com; the First Nations Technology Council is developing an AI toolkittechnologycouncil.ca.

Assessing Commitment: Genuine or Performative?

A genuine RAP is co‑created with Indigenous peoples, contains clear metrics and resources, and demonstrates long‑term commitment. Performative plans lack community input, measurable outcomes or funding. KPMG’s plan is an example of accountability—backed by KPIs and annual reportingkpmg.com—while RBC’s plan shows deep consultation with 400+ communities and a scheduled review in 2027finance.yahoo.comfinance.yahoo.com. Companies that treat reconciliation as a marketing exercise risk credibility and may face backlash.

Notable RAPs and Initiatives (Canada and North America)

Organization/SectorKey commitmentsEvidence of genuine engagementPwC Canada (professional services)Six pillars: leadership & governance, employment, inclusive workplace, economic reconciliation, education & cultural awareness, community developmentpwc.com. Actions include developing an Indigenous relations policy and aligning with UNDRIPpwc.com.Strong policies, recruitment strategies and training programspwc.com.Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)Five pathways: economy, people, community, environment, leadershipfinance.yahoo.com; involves tailored financial solutions, procurement, employment and environmental goalsfinance.yahoo.com. Developed after consulting 400+ communitiesfinance.yahoo.com.Established RBC Origins and Truth & Reconciliation Office; plan reviewed in 2027finance.yahoo.comfinance.yahoo.com.Scotiabank37 commitments across leadership & governance, education, employment, community, client & third party, environment & social impactscotiabank.com. Aligns with TRC Call 92 and UNDRIPscotiabank.com.Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) certification; acknowledges financial sector’s role in barriers.CN (Canadian National Railway)Five pillars: cultural awareness & employee engagement, people & employment, economic reconciliation, community engagement, environmental stewardshipglobenewswire.com.Emphasizes sustainable partnerships with Indigenous communitiesglobenewswire.com.TELUSFirst tech company with a public RAP (2021). Milestones: connecting 120 Indigenous lands, committing $2 million to social outcomes, engaging 700 000 people via the Witness Blanket project, and integrating Indigenous perspectives into AI ethicsglobenewswire.com.Annual reporting, AI ethics goal and connectivity initiatives show sincerity.KPMG CanadaPillar‑based plan focusing on equitable workspaces, Indigenous well‑being and decolonized hiring. The plan is backed by clear KPIs and annual progress reportingkpmg.com.Indigenous Advisory Council provides ongoing feedback; strong measurement and accountability.First Nations Technology CouncilResearch on AI adoption; developing culturally relevant AI courses and an open‑source toolkit to train 1,200 learners and support 7,000 peopletechnologycouncil.ca.Indigenous-led initiative addressing digital colonialismtechnologycouncil.ca.United States examplesMany U.S. corporations and government agencies are beginning similar frameworks (often called Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plans). While not as widely formalized as in Canada, U.S. initiatives include diversity and inclusion pledges, tribal consultation policies, and Indigenous procurement programs. The AI training programs and economic development initiatives at institutions like Arizona State University’s American Indian Policy Institute and the Indigenous Pathfinders in AI program by Mila are examples of emerging North American initiatives (research is ongoing; future briefs will provide more detail).

Steps to Develop and Implement RAPs

1. Learn & Understand: Review TRC Calls to Action and UNDRIP. Select areas aligning with your organization’s capabilitiesnctr.ca.
2. Co‑create: Engage Elders, youth, Indigenous organizations and knowledge-holders; share leadership and budget resourcesontarioplanners.ca.
3. Plan & Commit: Define priorities across leadership, employment, procurement, education and environment. Use the NCTR’s 6 Actions of ReconciliACTION (Learn, Understand, Explore, Recognize, Take Action, Teach Others)nctr.ca.
4. Set Goals and KPIs: Establish measurable targets for recruitment, supplier diversity, training completion and community investment. Include review dates and accountability mechanisms.kpmg.com
5. Implement & Report: Integrate commitments into business operations; allocate resources for training and procurement. Produce regular progress reports and adjust actions based on feedback.nctr.ca
6. Share & Collaborate: Publish your plan and engage employees, stakeholders and the public. Participate in initiatives like NCTR’s #94in94 campaign and share success storiesnctr.ca.

Digital and AI‑Assisted Economic Development

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence offers opportunities for Indigenous communities, but also risks digital colonialism if Indigenous knowledge and values are excludedtechnologycouncil.ca. Current adoption is limited; only about one‑third of band councils report using AItechnologycouncil.ca. To empower communities, the First Nations Technology Council is creating culturally relevant AI courses and a free toolkit, aiming to train 1,200 students and reach 7,000 peopletechnologycouncil.ca. These programs address privacy, data sovereignty and cultural relevance, enabling communities to harness AI for research, governance, economic development and cultural preservationtechnologycouncil.ca. TELUS also integrates AI ethics into its RAP, ensuring AI aligns with Indigenous perspectivesglobenewswire.com. Digital platforms (like Bear Standing Tall’s e‑learning) expand access to reconciliation training and can track KPIs in real time.

Lessons from Leading Organizations

• Deep consultation leads to better plans: RBC’s engagement with over 400 communities resulted in a robust and widely supported planfinance.yahoo.com.
• Measure what matters: KPMG underscores that progress requires KPIs and annual reportingkpmg.com.
• Invest in capacity: TELUS’s connectivity projects and the First Nations Technology Council’s AI training empower communitiesglobenewswire.comtechnologycouncil.ca.
• Set procurement targets: Achieving 5 % procurement could unleash billions in economic opportunitiesindigenomics.com.
• Embed reconciliation in innovation: Digital and AI initiatives must incorporate Indigenous values and knowledgetechnologycouncil.ca.

About Bear Standing Tall Inc.

Bear Standing Tall Inc. is an AI‑powered, certified Indigenous First Nations woman‑owned company headquartered in Oshawa, Ontario. After nearly a decade of designing digital Indigenous awareness training, the company has pivoted to become Canada’s go‑to hub for Indigenous economic reconciliation, combining human expertise with artificial intelligence to provide high‑quality, accurate and up‑to‑date information. By licensing its content and technology, Bear Standing Tall enables organizations of all sizes to integrate reconciliation into their operations.

Key services include:

• AI‑Enhanced Digital Content & E‑Learning: Customized courses on Indigenous history, economic reconciliation, procurement, TRC Calls to Action, UNDRIP and intercultural competency. Machine‑learning algorithms help tailor content for different sectors and update materials as new information emerges.
• Indigenous Content & AI Advisory: Guidance on integrating Indigenous perspectives into AI and digital projects, ensuring data sovereignty and cultural integrity while leveraging the power of AI for research and analysis.
• Corporate Partnerships & Licensing: Flexible licensing models for businesses, governments and institutions to use Bear Standing Tall’s digital materials. Services range from workshops and RAP advisory to scalable digital platforms for B2B, B2C and public‑sector clients.

Bear Standing Tall’s AI‑powered platform makes its resources easily discoverable via search engines and open‑source channels, helping reach Canadians, newcomers, multinationals, corporations and all levels of government. By combining Indigenous knowledge with cutting‑edge technology, the company aims to scale its impact, drive economic reconciliation across North America and empower everyday Canadians to participate in meaningful change.

Call to Action

Reconciliation is a continuous journey that must be woven into every aspect of business and community life. To stay informed and take concrete steps:

• Subscribe to weekly RAP updates: Each week we will deliver a concise briefing—like this one—with the latest developments across Canada and North America. These updates will spotlight new RAPs, legislative changes, Indigenous economic indicators and emerging best practices.

• Visit our Digital Bookstore: Bear Standing Tall’s digital bookstore offers digital courses, resources and licensing options for reconciliation training. Whether you are a small business or a large corporation, you can find materials tailored to your needs.

• Partner with us: Bear Standing Tall offers customized RAP advisory services, cultural awareness workshops, procurement strategy development and AI ethics consulting. Contact us at jcarter@bearstandingtall.com to explore licensing, AI advisory or partnership opportunities, and visit our digital bookstore to access our latest resources.