Monday, June 22, 2026

Reconciliation in Ontario Construction

Learning, listening, and building meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities

By Andrew Regnerus, CLAC Ontario Construction Coordinator

My name is Andrew. I’m privileged to serve CLAC members, the union, and the construction community as construction sector coordinator in Ontario. For decades that has meant doing stuff like labour relations help and strategy, business development, government relations, and mentoring.

In recent years, as truth and reconciliation became increasingly connected to development in the Ring of Fire region—including major construction projects, mining activity, and the prospect of gold prices reaching $5,000 per ounce—we began to consider what reconciliation could look like in practice. We asked ourselves: How can we help prepare our members and contractors who plan to work in Indigenous communities? At the same time, how can we help communities prepare for these projects and ensure local workers have the skills and training needed to take advantage of the employment opportunities that will soon be available in their own regions?

We began by recognizing how much we still had to learn and the importance of approaching this work with humility and openness to learn. As a first step, we sought guidance from experienced Indigenous leaders and advisors. Firedog Communications, which has supported our public relations work for several years, helped connect us with northern Indigenous leaders and advisors who could provide training and advice to strengthen our Indigenous strategy.

One of our goals is to anticipate workforce needs associated with upcoming projects and help contractors recruit and employ local workers. We design and deliver training that aligns with those employment opportunities, preparing individuals for jobs that are emerging in their own communities. We approach this work in the spirit of reconciliation, seeking wherever possible to prioritize employment opportunities for local residents and Indigenous peoples on their traditional lands.

Stable employment—with fair wages, respectful treatment, health benefits, and retirement savings—can contribute significantly to economic security and help break cycles of uncertainty and disadvantage. We also seek out Indigenous members from the workforces we represent to serve as union stewards, mentors, and leaders. Their lived experience provides perspectives and insights that we might otherwise overlook and helps ensure our decisions are informed by those most directly affected.

We have also adopted collective agreement provisions that recognize and accommodate the cultural practices, traditions, and lifestyle requirements of Indigenous members, reflecting our commitment to building workplaces that are both inclusive and respectful.

CLAC’s northern engagement began as a campaign and has become part of our event calendar. We go to a dozen events a year, which integrate Indigenous rights, mining, and northern Ontario business. At Indigenous conferences, discussions inevitably include mining and resource development. At mining conferences, there is a significant focus on understanding Indigenous rights, interests, and perspectives.

I’m always glad to see Indigenous makers’ markets at these events. Purchasing art can be a meaningful personal act of reconciliation—it allows me to support Indigenous artists while also finding gifts for the people I care about. Through those pieces, I can share an artist’s perspective, culture, and spirituality with my friends and family, and create opportunities to talk about why reconciliation matters and why it must continue to move forward.

Art also gives Indigenous artists a voice and a platform to highlight the positive outcomes that are possible when we work together toward reconciliation. Having these conversations with my grandchildren gives me hope that the next generation will be better equipped to pursue equity, deepen understanding, and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

That is a little bit of the reconciliation work that I get to do, and I know there is so much more to learn and do.

Reconciliation in Ontario Construction

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