IRC — About The Indian Resource Council

IRC was founded in 1987 by Chiefs representing the oil and gas producing First Nations, following the recommendation of a task force that was established to study the role of the Crown in the management of First Nations oil and natural gas resources. An expanded and restructured Indian Oil and Gas Canada (IOGC) was established at the same time.

The work and activities of the IRC are guided by the mandates that were approved and adopted at previous AGM’s in 1993 and 1995. These mandates, which are currently being revamped, are as follows:

• To support First Nations in their efforts to attain greater management and control of their oil and natural gas resources;
• To complement initiatives by individual First Nations to gain economic self reliance and to ensure the preservation of the Crown Trust obligations under Treaties with First Nations;
• To coordinate the promotion of initiatives with Federal and provincial governments, with industry and with other groups associated with oil, natural gas and related activities to enhance economic benefits realized by the First Nations from resource development;
• To encourage a greater development and utilization of First Nations human resources in oil, natural gas and related activities;
• To transform IOGC into a First Nations institution, working in partnership with the IOGC co-management Board. To this end work towards the establishment of an oil and gas business centre, and a First Nations oil and gas institution in the long term.

Membership Criteria

The Indian Resource Council is made up of First Nations across Canada that have oil and gas production on their land including those that have the potential for production. The majority of our members are from First Nations located within the Western Canada sedimentary Basin (click here for map) however, there are many members of the IRC from coast to coast (click here for map).

Indian Oil & Gas Act

The Indian Oil & Gas Act and the accompanying regulations govern oil and Gas activities on First Nations lands. The act is currently under review by a working group made up of IRC representatives and the staff of Indian & Northern Affairs Canada and IOGC.

Click here to view the Act and

Click here to view the Regulations.