MPDA Elders Cohort Engagement Project

Acknowledgement

The Manitoba Prospectors & Developers Association (MPDA) extends its sincere appreciation to the Manitoba Environmental Industries Association (MEIA) for its $50,000 contribution in support of the Elders Cohort at the April 9, 2026 Critical Mineral Forum and Reconciliation Gala.

This funding enabled the meaningful participation of First Nations Elders from across Manitoba, ensuring their voices, knowledge, and perspectives were present in early-stage conversations about mineral exploration and critical minerals development. The investment directly supported travel, participation, and the delivery of four foundational short courses designed to build understanding of the exploration sector.

This work would not have been possible without MEIA’s leadership and commitment to advancing environmental understanding and Indigenous inclusion in Manitoba’s resource sector.

Overview of the Elders Cohort

As part of MPDA’s 5th Annual Reconciliation Forum, the Elders Cohort was designed to:

• Support participation of up to 40 Elders from First Nations communities
• Deliver four introductory short courses:
  • Community Expeditor
  • Environmental Monitor / Guardian
  • Geological Assistant
  • Business and Financial Orientation
• Create space for dialogue between Elders, industry, and government
• Strengthen understanding of early-stage mineral exploration
• Provide educational presentations delivered by the Province of Manitoba on the mining cycle, mineral regulation and licensing, the Manitoba Geological Survey, and the Duty to Consult.
• Bring together Indigenous Elders, Indigenous leadership, Indigenous prospectors, industry representatives, government officials, and related sector organizations to support informed participation and relationship-building.

A total of 43 Elders and Indigenous leaders attended the forum with 33 Elders completing the short-courses, with representation from communities across Manitoba.

The cohort participated in a full day of programming, combining technical presentations, short course delivery, and facilitated engagement.

Purpose and Approach

The Elders Cohort was grounded in a simple but critical premise:

Exploration is where relationships are formed, and where trust either begins or breaks down.

Rather than focusing on later-stage consultation, this initiative aimed to:

• Build early-stage literacy about mineral exploration
• Create informed space for guidance and decision-making at the community level
• Understand directly from Elders what is needed to support meaningful participation

A pre and post-session survey was conducted, with approximately 13 responses collected. While the sample size is modest, the responses are consistent and highly instructive.

Key Findings

1. Limited Direct Experience, but High Responsibility

• Less than half of respondents had previously been asked to provide guidance on exploration projects
• Despite this, many hold positions of influence within their communities

Implication: There is a gap between responsibility and access to information. Elders are expected to guide, but are not consistently equipped with the tools or knowledge to do so confidently.

2. Understanding is Growing, but Still Foundational

• Most respondents identified as having only “some understanding” of mineral exploration
• After the forum, there was measurable improvement in understanding, with some moving into “good” or “strong” categories

Implication: Short, targeted learning opportunities are effective, but current exposure is not yet sufficient to support confident, community-level decision-making.

3. Strong Caution, Not Rejection

• The majority of respondents described themselves as “cautious but open”
• A smaller group expressed concern; none expressed clear positivity

Implication: There is space to build relationships and trust, but it must be earned through approach, transparency, and respect.

4. Core Concerns are Consistent and Clear

Elders identified several recurring concerns:

• Environmental impacts to land, water, and wildlife
• Long-term effects on future generations
• Lack of early engagement and transparency
• Entry onto lands without permission or proper consultation
• Exclusion of Indigenous voices in decision-making
• Social impacts, including safety of women and communities
• Failure to honour treaties and Indigenous laws

There were also deeper teachings shared:

• The land is a living system, not a resource
• Extraction without ceremony or balance creates harm beyond the physical
• The Anishinaabe way of life known as Bimaadiziwin (pronounced bee-MAH-di-zi-win), grounded in living in right relationship with the land, community, and future generations, emphasizes stewardship and reciprocity rather than extraction for gain.

Implication: Concerns are not limited to technical or environmental issues. They’re relational, cultural, legal, and spiritual.

5. Clear Conditions for Project Support or Opposition

Elders identified what would stop a project:

• Lack of consultation or engagement from the beginning
• Environmental harm or unsafe practices
• Secrecy or lack of transparency
• Disregard for treaties and rights
• Unequal benefit distribution

In several responses, community action such as collective opposition or blockades was identified as a likely outcome if these conditions are not met.

Implication: Project risk is directly tied to early engagement practices. This reinforces the importance of exploration-stage alignment.

6. Confidence Increased, but Not Fully Established

• A majority reported feeling “confident” or “somewhat confident” after the forum
• A smaller group reported being “very confident”
• Some still expressed low confidence

Implication: The forum improved confidence, but additional, structured learning is required to move participants to a level where they can consistently guide their communities.

Proof of Need: Transition to Micro-Credentials

The Elders Cohort validated a critical gap: There’s strong interest, willingness, and need for structured, accessible learning pathways that support informed participation in mineral exploration.

The short courses delivered on April 9 demonstrated:

• High engagement with practical, role-based content
• Interest in workforce pathways and community roles
• Demand for clearer understanding of processes and impacts

However, they also revealed limitations:

• One-day exposure is not enough to build lasting competency
• There is no formal recognition of skills or knowledge gained
• There is no consistent pathway from awareness to participation

Why Micro-Credentials

Transitioning MPDA’s short courses into a micro-credential model addresses these gaps directly.

A micro-credential approach would:

• Provide structured, multi-week learning rather than one-day sessions
• Offer recognized, portable credentials aligned with industry and community needs
• Support roles such as:
  • Community Expeditor
  • Environmental Monitor
  • Geological Assistant
  • Community-based business and procurement participation
• Bridge education gaps where traditional pathways are not accessible
• Align with workforce development and early-stage engagement priorities

Importantly, micro-credentials respond directly to what Elders expressed:

• The need for better understanding before projects begin
• The need for local participation and employment
• The need for informed decision-making grounded in both technical and cultural knowledge

Recommendations

Based on the findings from the Elders Cohort, MPDA recommends the following:

1. Advance a Pilot Micro-Credential Program
Develop and deliver a pilot focused on core exploration-stage roles, building on the four short courses introduced at the Forum.

2. Co-Design with Indigenous Communities
Ensure curriculum development includes Elders, community representatives, and Indigenous knowledge systems alongside technical content.

3. Establish Recognition and Portability
Work with government and education partners to ensure credentials are recognized and transferable across projects and regions.

4. Integrate Cultural and Environmental Knowledge
Embed teachings related to land stewardship, treaty understanding, and Indigenous law into all training streams.

5. Expand Delivery into Communities
Move beyond centralized delivery in Winnipeg to include northern and community-based training opportunities.

6. Continue Elder Engagement
Maintain the Elders Cohort as an advisory and participatory group to guide program development and evaluation.

Closing

The Elders Cohort was not only a successful engagement initiative, it was a clear signal that there’s willingness to engage. There’s interest in learning. There’s openness to participation. But there is also a clear expectation: engagement must begin earlier, be more transparent, and be supported by real tools and pathways that allow communities to participate on their own terms.

MEIA’s investment enabled MPDA to test this approach in a meaningful way. The results now provide a strong foundation to move from short-term engagement to long-term capacity building through micro-credentials.

MPDA looks forward to continuing this work in partnership with MEIA and others to strengthen Manitoba’s approach to critical mineral development in a way that reflects both opportunity and responsibility.

April 9, 2026, Assiniboia Downs, Winnipeg
Prepared for: Manitoba Environmental Industries Association (MEIA)