KEY POINTS
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Teck has released a reconciliation action plan for its North American operations.
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The plan focuses on Indigenous rights, partnerships and community priorities.
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Indigenous leaders say its success will depend on accountability and implementation.
Teck Resources Limited has released a North America Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan outlining commitments to strengthen relationships with Indigenous communities and incorporate their priorities into the company’s mining operations.
The Canadian mining company said the plan establishes measurable actions to address the concerns of Indigenous Peoples, recognise the historical impact of its operations and make reconciliation a guiding principle across its activities in North America.
Announced on November 5, 2026, the plan is built around four key commitments: examining the legacy of Teck’s past operations, identifying and managing current impacts on Indigenous lands and communities, supporting Indigenous priorities, and sharing lessons with other organisations.
Plan Developed Through Indigenous Engagement
Teck said the action plan was developed through consultations with Indigenous governments, leaders, Elders, community members, thought leaders and employees across the regions where it operates.
The company said it intends to use the process to better understand how its mining activities affect Indigenous lands, waters, communities and relationships.
The plan also seeks to strengthen transparency and accountability by encouraging the company to acknowledge past impacts and address concerns arising from its operations.
Teck added that it would share its experiences and lessons with other companies and organisations to support wider reconciliation efforts across North America.
CEO Says Indigenous Partnerships Are Central to Operations
Teck President and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Price said meaningful relationships with Indigenous Peoples were essential to the company’s role in supplying critical minerals for economic development and the global energy transition.
He acknowledged that mining activities could affect Indigenous rights and livelihoods, particularly in communities located on or near the territories where the company operates.
Price said the action plan would guide efforts to remove barriers, improve Indigenous participation, support community priorities and incorporate Indigenous knowledge and experiences into the company’s business practices.
He added that Teck intended to strengthen its relationships with Indigenous partners through sustained engagement, listening and learning.
Indigenous Leaders Stress Accountability
Chastity Davis Alphonse, principal and lead consultant at Chastity Davis Consulting, who led the development of the action plan, said reconciliation should be treated as an ongoing responsibility rather than a checklist of corporate commitments.
She stressed the importance of truth, accountability, humility and respect for Indigenous knowledge systems, adding that organisations must move beyond making promises to implementing meaningful changes.
Christine Walkem, Chief of Cook’s Ferry Indian Band and chair of the Citxw Nlaka’pamux Assembly, described the plan as a step towards reconciliation but said much of the work required to meet Indigenous communities’ expectations remained ahead.
Walkem said the plan’s value would depend on whether Teck’s decisions respected Indigenous rights, gave communities meaningful influence over activities in their territories and fulfilled commitments made to them.
She also emphasised the need for Indigenous communities to hold the company accountable for delivering lasting changes that would benefit future generations.
Survivors’ Group Calls for Consistent Action
The Indian Residential School Survivors Society also stressed that reconciliation must be built on trust, mutual respect, responsibility and long-term relationships.
The organisation said action plans would only become meaningful when their commitments were incorporated into everyday corporate practices and regularly reviewed.
It urged Teck to demonstrate consistency by maintaining relationships with Indigenous communities, listening to their concerns and following through on its promises.
Artist John Lambert, who contributed to the action plan, also encouraged the company to maintain humility and remain willing to learn from Indigenous communities as implementation progresses.
Teck Warns of Risks to Implementation
Teck noted that the commitments contained in the action plan are forward-looking and depend on several factors, including its ability to maintain relationships with Indigenous Peoples, respond to community priorities and identify and manage the impacts of its operations.
The company said changes in regulations, permitting requirements, economic conditions, commodity prices and community or stakeholder actions could also affect its ability to deliver the commitments.
Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Teck is a resource company focused on copper, zinc and other materials used in economic development and the energy transition. Its shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange.
