GG&A, in partnership with Shipley Management Services Ltd, provide management consulting to ensure energy clients meet all of regulatory requirements and build successful relationships with Aboriginal groups within their project regions. The Government of Alberta and the regulatory bodies (Aboriginal & International Affairs, Alberta Environment, & Alberta Sustainable Resource Development) require energy firms to meet the consultation processes of Alberta First Nations Consultation Policy & Guidelines for projects that are on or in proximity to aboriginal traditional lands. They also have standard reporting mechanisms to ensure the Policy & Guidelines are being met by energy firms during their project regulatory application process.
Using the Aboriginal Consultation Policy Checklist that GG&A & SMSL created together, our clients are consistently recognized by regulators and First Nations alike for their consistent meeting and exceeding of expectations on Aboriginal Consultation. GG&A is responsible to guide clients in the following components of the Aboriginal Consultation process:
GG&A oversees the entire notification process for each client energy project, including the creation of notification packages for aboriginal representatives & trappers, the follow-up process, the responses received, and the creation of reporting for the regulators. This enables clients to focus their energies on the main components of their aboriginal business, build key consultation relationships, and avoid costly delays in the regulatory application process.
- Creation & Management of Consultation Database Systems
GG&A, SMSL, and SustaiNet Software Solutions Inc have teamed up to provide our energy clients with “Consultation Manager” (CM). CM is an online consultation management database that tracks contacts, events, issues, responses, document storage, and provides reporting to meet the regulatory requirements that many energy firms struggle to meet. GG&A in particular, provides the setup and day-to-day management of CM for our existing group of clients. This includes event entry, issues management, regulatory reporting, and system audits.
While the majority of face-to-face relationship management is provided by our partner SMSL, GG&A has worked alongside providing key support on Aboriginal community initiatives. As an example, GG&A took primary lead in assisting the Fort Chipewyan Metis Local #125 in developing the organizational structure, finding funding sources, and operational setup of their administrative and industry consultation office.
- Development & Management of Community Investment Processes
Increasingly, energy firms are recognizing the value of developing community partnerships and moving beyond just donating to local causes. GG&A has good experience at setting up a Community Investment arm for energy clients, and in researching potential social projects within a given community. This allows clients to increase their community impact beyond economic/employment elements, and see positive results in the broader community for their efforts.
