{"id":2266,"date":"2026-02-23T09:15:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T14:15:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thechangemakers.com\/insight\/resource-development-data-speaks-but-trust-decides\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T12:53:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T16:53:29","slug":"resource-development-data-speaks-but-trust-decides","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/thechangemakers.com\/us\/insight\/resource-development-data-speaks-but-trust-decides\/","title":{"rendered":"Resource Development:\u00a0Data\u00a0Speaks, but Trust Decides\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

Resource Development:\u00a0Data\u00a0Speaks, but Trust Decides<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We are\u00a0communications and public engagement professionals, but our perspectives were shaped in forests, fields, laboratories, and community halls across Canada. What we have\u00a0come to appreciate, through many projects and conversations and often the hard way, is that\u00a0data, on its own, is not enough to move resource development priorities forward.\u00a0

Across a combined 30+ years working in forestry, mining, fisheries, energy, agriculture, and other resource sectors, we have seen firsthand how outcomes are shaped not just by\u00a0data and\u00a0evidence, but by relationships.\u00a0Again and again, we have found ourselves grappling with the same question: how do we build understanding, trust, and that ever-elusive social licence in\u00a0increasingly complex public arenas?\u00a0

Public interest in resource\u00a0decision making\u00a0is\u00a0very high, particularly as Canada confronts the need to drive economic growth, strengthen competitiveness, and achieve long-term resource self-sufficiency. At the same time, the narratives surrounding\u00a0natural resource decision making\u00a0are increasingly fragmented and polarized. Information now travels faster, through more channels, and is interpreted through deeply personal lenses. Context and nuance\u00a0can easily be\u00a0lost, and people are as likely to trust family and friends as\u00a0much as\u00a0scientists,\u00a0industry\u00a0leaders, or\u00a0their own\u00a0government officials.\u00a0

This is not simply a communications challenge. It reflects a\u00a0shift in how trust is earned and sustained.\u00a0Project proponents, decision-makers\u00a0and experts\u00a0need to\u00a0show up differently if they want to be heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Information does not equal inspiration<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

More data\u00a0alone will rarely\u00a0deepen\u00a0understanding or\u00a0achieve\u00a0broader support. People change their perspectives, and even their behaviour, when they feel personally connected to an issue. Effective engagement moves beyond transmitting\u00a0data\u00a0to helping people see themselves in the opportunity, the trade-offs, and the outcomes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intersection of knowledge systems<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Western science has\u00a0greatly influenced\u00a0the ways in which information is framed,\u00a0communicated\u00a0and consumed by the\u00a0general\u00a0public\u00a0in the natural resources sector.\u00a0Western scientific approaches\u00a0provide\u00a0empirical\u00a0and analytical frameworks, but they only\u00a0represent\u00a0one epistemological lens.\u00a0Indigenous\u00a0knowledge systems\u00a0articulate complex, relational and longitudinal understandings of land that are grounded in generations of lived experience and intergenerational transmission.\u00a0\u00a0

Sharing\u00a0teachings and\u00a0insights\u00a0from\u00a0these knowledge\u00a0systems not only fosters more balanced and holistic perspectives in the dissemination of information, but\u00a0we have also\u00a0witnessed\u00a0how the intersection\u00a0of this data\u00a0actively recognizes and\u00a0affirms\u00a0voices,\u00a0histories\u00a0and\u00a0ongoing\u00a0contributions of Indigenous peoples.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distinguish\u00a0rights\u00a0holders\u00a0from interest groups<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The term \u201cstakeholder\u201d has long functioned as a convenient catch-all\u00a0for target audiences for relationship building. Today it is\u00a0recognized as inadequate and antiquated. Rooted in the action of staking a claim, it carries colonial assumptions that diminish important distinctions. By acknowledging colonial harms and moving away from one-size-fits-all terminology, we can better reflect the realities of those\u00a0impacted\u00a0by decision-making processes.\u00a0

Treating all voices as interchangeable obscures meaningful differences in rights, responsibilities, and relationships to land and resources.\u00a0Through our actions, language, and intention-setting, we\u00a0have seen the benefits of instead\u00a0making\u00a0these distinctions visible and honouring\u00a0the distinct roles and responsibilities that different parties bring to the table.\u00a0

While many interests deserve to be heard, Indigenous Nations are not simply another interested party. They are\u00a0rights\u00a0holders, with distinct\u00a0rights and place-based relationships to land. Meaningful engagement\u00a0and\u00a0effective\u00a0relationships-building\u00a0begins\u00a0with recognizing and acting on this distinction.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Co-creation is the most powerful social licence strategy<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When people are meaningfully involved early, trust grows, even when final decisions are imperfect or contested. Co-creation goes beyond consultation or participation for its own sake. At its best, it is about identifying shared interests, surfacing local knowledge, and shaping outcomes that deliver mutual value. Across sectors, we have seen that co-created approaches reduce conflict, improve project design, and lead to decisions that are more resilient over time. While co-creation means earlier and greater investments in engagement and communications, the positive results are undeniable. When communities, rights holders, and proponents can see how their priorities are reflected in outcomes, co-creation builds the shared ownership that long-term stewardship and effective resource development require. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engagement excellence is essential leadership practice<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Resource development has always been technically complex. Increasingly, it is relationally complex as well. Leaders who communicate openly, involve communities early, and are transparent about uncertainty are better positioned to navigate emerging issues and make durable decisions.\u00a0

Building and sustaining trust requires more than communication. It requires listening, learning, and a willingness to evolve. While\u00a0data\u00a0remains\u00a0foundational to responsible resource development, long-term success depends equally\u00a0on the strength of the relationships built around it\u00a0and a more holistic view of the knowledge that informs the work.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n