Indigenous Peoples are moving beyond being stakeholders in major development projects to becoming developers, investors, equity partners, and owners. That means corporate Canada’s approach to Indigenous relations will increasingly shape who participates in some of the country’s largest investment opportunities.

For companies that have already embraced the PAIR program, that could be a significant competitive advantage.

For more than two decades, PAIR has given Canadian businesses a structured framework to strengthen their relationships with Indigenous Peoples. It started as an initiative to encourage progressive corporate practices. Today, it is an important benchmark for measurable, independently verified performance in Indigenous relations.

The program assesses companies across four areas: leadership actions, employment, business development, and community relationships. Through its Committed pathway and bronze, silver, and gold certification levels, the program encourages participating companies to build Indigenous relations into their corporate strategies and day to day operations.

Certification is not awarded simply because a company has developed an Indigenous relations policy or made public commitments to reconciliation. Companies seeking certification undergo independent external verification, including engagement with Indigenous partners, followed by an assessment and decision by an independent jury of Indigenous business leaders.

With corporate commitments to reconciliation now becoming more and more common, independent verification offers something a corporate statement can’t: evidence of action and results.

Across corporate Canada, PAIR’s adoption reflects a growing recognition that strong Indigenous relationships are crucial to competitiveness, workforce development, procurement and long-term investment certainty. Major organizations across banking, mining, energy, engineering, construction, and professional services have adopted the framework, recognizing that they must integrate Indigenous relations into how they conduct business.

The business case for doing this is also evolving as Indigenous Nations and their economic development corporations secure financing, negotiate equity positions and pursue ownership of major infrastructure and resource projects. Across Canada, these opportunities represent billions of dollars in potential investment and procurement activity.

Historically, companies often approached Indigenous communities seeking consultation and agreements to move projects forward. Today, Indigenous governments and businesses are increasingly leading projects themselves, choosing their partners and making the investment decisions.

As Indigenous ownership grows, so too will Indigenous influence over who receives contracts and who qualifies as a preferred business partner. That creates another potential role for PAIR certification: helping companies demonstrate their record when competing for work on Indigenous owned projects.

Consider an Indigenous led infrastructure project valued at several billion dollars. When choosing partners and suppliers, its owners may want companies to demonstrate a strong, established record of working with Indigenous communities.

Rather than relying on corporate presentations, reconciliation statements or self-reported achievements, Indigenous project owners could look to independently verified accreditation as an objective measure of corporate performance. PAIR provides a way for companies to demonstrate that performance through an established, independently verified process.

We could see Indigenous-owned project proponents incorporate PAIR certification into procurement evaluation criteria, preferred supplier qualifications or even mandatory eligibility requirements for certain contracts.

Such requirements are not yet universal, nor should certification replace direct community due diligence. But as Indigenous project owners come to expect a documented track record from prospective partners, verified performance in Indigenous relations could become a valuable procurement credential and competitive advantage.

The business case for PAIR certification is no longer limited to responsible corporate citizenship or strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities. It is also about positioning companies to compete in an economy where Indigenous Peoples hold greater ownership, financial influence and commercial decision making authority.

As Indigenous developers, investors and project owners decide which companies will help deliver Canada’s next generation of multibillion dollar projects, those that commit to PAIR now will be better positioned to compete.

The companies investing in PAIR today are not simply preparing for better Indigenous relations. They are preparing for a different Canadian economy.

Michael Fox, President and CEO of Indigenous and Community Engagement (ICE) Inc.