Public commitments drive our sustainability performance. Our sustainability strategy combines ambitious long-term objectives, annually revised targets and aspirational goals, carefully measured in the spirit of continuous improvement. In this blog series, Performance and New Targets, we’re recapping our achievements, sharing highlights of our progress, and affirming our targets for 2022 and beyond.
How we create shared prosperity
Resolute values the constructive and mutually beneficial relationships we have with close to 40 Indigenous communities and organizations in our operating regions. In 2021, we pursued our ongoing commitment to provide equitable access to commercial opportunities and promote Indigenous participation in the forest products sector, and we will continue to build on this foundation in 2022 and beyond, in line with our Indigenous Peoples Policy.
How did we do in 2021?
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Alongside Fort William First Nation, we celebrated our 20-year partnership in the Thunder Bay (Ontario) sawmill with an announcement of C$17 million in investment. The facility was Canada’s first to operate under the First Nations Commercial and Industrial Development Act. Approximately 20% of the sawmill’s workforce are Anishinabek.
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Alongside the Band Council of Obedjiwan, we marked 22 years of partnership in the Opitciwan (Quebec) sawmill. The Council has a 55% interest in the joint venture, while Resolute owns 45%. The facility employs 50 workers, more than 80% of whom are Atikamekw.
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President and Chief Executive Officer Remi G. Lalonde met with several First Nations chiefs in Northwestern Ontario to discuss opportunities for shared socio-economic prosperity. Our procurement contracts with Indigenous-led companies and communities in the region are worth more than C$50 million annually.
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We worked with local and regional partners on developing a model for the professional integration of Indigenous workers at our Côte-Nord (Quebec) woodlands operations.
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We contributed C$25,000 to Lac des Mille Lacs Education Centre (Ontario), an innovative Indigenous-led school, to support experiential learning, Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) language instruction and a hockey program.
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We donated C$3,000 to the economic development corporation of Pekuakamiulnuatsh Takuhikan First Nation (Quebec) to support the development of female entrepreneurship.
Learn more about our collaborations with Indigenous peoples on our website.
