Reconciliation Action Hub

A Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is a structured set of commitments and actions that an organization takes to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

A RAP should:

• Be grounded in relationships and trust
• Address real barriers faced by Indigenous Peoples
• Include clear actions, timelines, and accountability
• Be developed and reviewed in partnership with Indigenous communities, organizations, or advisors

A RAP is not:

• A one-off campaign
• A statement without follow-through
• A checklist to “fix” the past

It is an ongoing, evolving commitment.

Employers can directly align their RAP with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, especially those relating to business, employment, education, and training.

Suggested focus areas include:

• Call to Action 92 – Business and reconciliation
• Calls related to education, training, and public awareness
• Calls related to language, culture, and justice where appropriate

A simple internal one-pager can:

• List the relevant Calls to Action
• Show how each RAP commitment responds to one or more Calls
• Help staff and leaders see the bigger picture

Before you finalize a RAP, check your readiness.

Ask:

• Do we have visible commitment from senior leadership?
• Have we set aside time and budget for reconciliation work?
• Do we have existing relationships with Indigenous communities, advisors, or organizations?
• Are we prepared to hear difficult feedback and respond constructively?
• Are we ready to measure and publicly share our progress?

If several answers are “no,” focus first on leadership conversations, relationship building, and internal education before announcing big commitments.

Use this tool to understand where you are starting from.

Leadership & Governance

• Is there a public or internal leadership statement on reconciliation?
  • Yes / No / In progress
• Is there Indigenous representation on the board, advisory bodies, or key committees?
  • Yes / No / In progress
• Are reconciliation goals included in strategic plans?
  • Yes / No / In progress

Employment & Workforce

• Approximate percentage of Indigenous employees: _______%
• Do you have recruitment strategies that specifically reach Indigenous candidates?
  • Yes / No / In progress
• Are there mentorship or development programs that support Indigenous employees’ growth?
  • Yes / No / In progress

Procurement & Partnerships

• Do you have a policy or practice to include Indigenous-owned businesses in procurement?
  • Yes / No / In progress
• Approximate annual spend with Indigenous-owned businesses: $________

Training & Awareness

• Have staff participated in Indigenous cultural awareness or anti-racism training?
  • Yes, within the last 12 months
  • Yes, more than 12 months ago
  • No
• How often is training expected or offered?
  • Once / Every 2–3 years / Annually / Ongoing

Community Relationships

• Do you have active relationships or partnerships with Indigenous communities, organizations, or Elders?
  • Yes / No
• How often do you engage or consult Indigenous partners?
  • Regularly / Occasionally / Rarely

Top Three Areas for Immediate Improvement

1. (Area 1)
2. (Area 2)
3. (Area 3)

This text can be adapted into a statement from your CEO or leadership team:

We recognize that reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples is essential to our work and to the future of our sector.

We commit to building respectful, long-term relationships with Indigenous communities, embedding Indigenous perspectives into our decisions, and addressing barriers to Indigenous participation in our workplace.

Through our Reconciliation Action Plan, we will set clear goals, take concrete actions, and report on our progress. We understand that reconciliation is an ongoing journey and we are committed to learning, listening, and improving over time.

Encourage leaders to personalize this statement and to speak to it in their own words.

This can be run anonymously to understand staff perspectives.

Sample Questions

1. How familiar are you with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action?
   • Very familiar
   • Somewhat familiar
   • Not familiar
2. How comfortable do you feel talking about reconciliation in a workplace context?
   • Very comfortable
   • Somewhat comfortable
   • Not comfortable
3. Have you participated in any Indigenous cultural awareness, anti-racism, or reconciliation-related training through this organization?
   • Yes, within the last year
   • Yes, more than a year ago
   • No
4. In your view, how well does our organization build respectful relationships with Indigenous communities or partners?
   • Very well
   • Adequately
   • Needs improvement
   • I don’t know
5. What would help you feel more confident contributing to reconciliation in your role?
   • More training
   • More information and resources
   • Time and space for learning and discussion
   • Support from leadership
   • Other: ______________________
6. Is there anything else you would like to share about reconciliation in our organization?
   • Open comment box

Step 1: Confirm leadership commitment

• Share baseline findings and staff feedback with leadership.
• Secure clear endorsement to develop a RAP and dedicate resources to it.

Step 2: Form a RAP Working Group

• Include Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees where possible.
• Include representatives from key areas: leadership, HR, operations, communications, procurement, etc.
• Clarify roles, decision-making, and timelines.

Step 3: Listen, learn, and scan

• Review internal data: workforce, policies, procurement, training.
• Review external context: TRC Calls, UNDRIP, relevant legislation, sector practices.
• Where possible, begin conversations with Indigenous communities or organizations who may be impacted by your work.

Step 4: Draft commitments across key pillars

Typical pillars include:

• Leadership and governance
• Employment and economic opportunities
• Community relationships and engagement
• Education, training, and cultural safety
• Monitoring, reporting, and accountability

Step 5: Consult with Indigenous partners

• Share draft commitments with Indigenous communities, organizations, or advisors.
• Ask: What resonates? What is missing? What might cause harm if done poorly?
• Be prepared to adjust based on feedback.

Step 6: Finalize, approve, and launch

• Finalize the RAP with clear actions, owners, timelines, and measures.
• Seek formal approval through your governance processes.
• Communicate internally and externally with care and humility.

Employers can consider commitments such as:

Leadership

• Designate a board or advisory seat for Indigenous representation.
• Embed reconciliation goals into strategic planning and annual reporting.

Employment & Economic Empowerment

• Set measurable goals to increase Indigenous representation across roles and levels.
• Partner with Indigenous training organizations or educational institutions.
• Develop Indigenous-focused recruitment pathways, internships, or apprenticeships.
• Introduce or strengthen Indigenous procurement policies.

Community Relationships

• Establish long-term partnerships with Indigenous communities or organizations.
• Support community-led programs that align with local priorities.
• Sponsor Indigenous-led conferences and events.

Education & Training

• Provide ongoing Indigenous cultural awareness and anti-racism training for all staff.
• Offer tailored training for leadership and people managers.
• Build reconciliation into onboarding and orientation.

Monitoring & Accountability

• Report annually on RAP progress and outcomes.
• Co-develop success indicators with Indigenous partners where appropriate.

Worksheet: Leadership Pillar

• What are our goals for leadership and governance in relation to reconciliation?
• What specific actions will we take in the next 1–3 years?
• Who is responsible?
• What does success look like?

Worksheet: Employment & Economic Empowerment

• Where are we now (data, policies, practices)?
• What barriers do Indigenous candidates or employees face here?
• What actions will we take to address those barriers?
• How will we measure progress?

Repeat this process for each pillar you adopt.

These are high-level guidelines for engaging respectfully with Indigenous communities, organizations, or knowledge keepers.

Before you reach out

• Learn about the community: history, current context, and priorities.
• Identify the appropriate contact (e.g., Chief, Council, elected leadership, administration, or designated representative).
• Consider whether an Elder or knowledge keeper should be invited.
• Plan for honoraria or gifts in recognition of time and knowledge, in line with local protocols.

During engagement

• Be clear about why you are reaching out and what you are asking.
• Listen more than you speak.
• Allow time for introductions and relationship-building.
• Respect cultural protocols (for example, opening or closing prayers, ceremonies, order of speaking).
• Avoid making promises on the spot that you cannot keep.

After engagement

• Follow up with a summary of what you heard and any agreed next steps.
• Follow through on commitments made.
• Keep the relationship active—don’t only engage when you need something.

1. Welcome and introductions
2. Opening (prayer or land acknowledgment, if invited or appropriate)
3. Purpose of the meeting and background context
4. Listening to community priorities, concerns, and perspectives
5. Discussion of potential areas for collaboration or change
6. Identification of next steps and who will do what
7. Closing reflections and thanks

Do:

• Approach with humility and openness.
• Build relationships for the long term.
• Be transparent about your intentions, constraints, and timelines.
• Compensate people fairly for their time and expertise.
• Share back what you heard and what you are doing as a result.

Don’t:

• Treat consultation as a box to tick.
• Assume one individual or community speaks for all Indigenous Peoples.
• Expect instantaneous responses or decisions.
• Use Indigenous stories or images in communications without consent.
• Engage only when you want approval for something already decided.

Use a simple table or spreadsheet to track commitments.

Suggested columns:

• Action / Commitment
• RAP Pillar
• Lead person or team
• Start date and target completion date
• Status (Not started / In progress / Complete)
• Notes (including links to evidence or documents)

This can be maintained by the RAP working group and reviewed regularly by leadership.

Key audiences: All staff, leaders, union or worker representatives, partners.

Sample internal announcement (intranet or email)

Our organization is developing and implementing a Reconciliation Action Plan.

This plan will outline concrete actions we will take to build respectful, long-term relationships with Indigenous communities, remove barriers, and create more equitable opportunities in our workplace and sector.

In the coming months, you will see opportunities to learn more, participate in training, and share your ideas. We invite you to engage with openness and curiosity. Reconciliation is a shared responsibility.

Manager talking points

• Why we are doing this work
• How it connects to our values and to the industry
• What staff can expect in terms of training and involvement
• How staff can ask questions or raise concerns

Staff FAQs might include:

• “What is a RAP?”
• “How does this affect my day-to-day work?”
• “Will this change how we recruit or promote people?”
• “What if I make a mistake while trying to learn?”

Employers are encouraged to prioritize Indigenous-designed and Indigenous-led training, tailored to their region and sector. Examples of providers and partners include:

• Indigenous leadership and cultural awareness training organizations
• Indigenous community-based organizations and Friendship Centres
• Indigenous post-secondary institutions and training centres

The specific names and contacts can be customized to your region.

A simple structure for an internal or public report.

1. Overview

• Time period covered
• RAP pillars addressed
• Short summary of overall progress

2. Key Achievements

List 3–5 highlights, such as:

• New or strengthened partnerships with Indigenous communities
• Increases in Indigenous representation in the workforce
• Implementation of new policies or training programs
• Changes in procurement practices

3. Challenges and Learnings

• What did not go as planned?
• What barriers did you encounter (internal or external)?
• What did you learn and how will that shape next steps?

4. Metrics and Indicators

Examples include:

• Percentage of employees who self-identify as Indigenous
• Percentage of spend with Indigenous-owned businesses
• Number or percentage of staff who completed Indigenous cultural awareness training
• Number of active partnerships with Indigenous communities or organizations

5. Priorities for the Next Period

• Top three actions you commit to focusing on
• Any changes to your RAP based on what you have learned3.

You do not need to track everything at once. Start with a few indicators that matter most.

Workforce

• % Indigenous employees
• Retention rate of Indigenous employees
• Representation of Indigenous employees at different levels

Procurement

• % of total spend with Indigenous-owned businesses
• Number of Indigenous suppliers engaged

Training and Education

• % of staff who have completed core Indigenous awareness training
• % of leadership who have completed enhanced training

Relationships

• Number of active partnerships or projects with Indigenous communities
• Frequency of engagement meetings or touchpoints

Stories help people understand why reconciliation work matters and how it is unfolding in real time.

Guiding principles

• Centre Indigenous voices and experiences where appropriate, with consent.
• Highlight relationships and shared work, not just your organization’s role.
• Avoid tokenizing individuals or communities.
• Acknowledge that the work is ongoing.

Simple story structure

1. Context – What was the issue, need, or opportunity?
2. Collaboration – Who was involved (with consent)? How did you come together?
3. Action – What did you do?
4. Impact – What changed as a result? For the organization and for Indigenous partners?
5. Reflection – What did you learn? What are the next steps?

Year 1

• Confirm leadership commitment
• Conduct baseline audit and staff survey
• Start foundational training for staff and leadership
• Begin building or strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities

Year 2

• Finalize and launch RAP
• Launch or expand the Reconciliation Action Hub resources
• Introduce or refine Indigenous procurement practices
• Pilot Indigenous-focused recruitment and mentorship initiatives

Year 3

• Deepen partnerships with Indigenous communities
• Expand training and leadership programs
• Evaluate progress, update RAP commitments
• Share learning and stories more widely

To help managers open conversations with their teams:

• “When you hear the word ‘reconciliation,’ what comes to mind for you in the context of our workplace?”
• “What do you think we could do differently to build stronger relationships with Indigenous communities?”
• “What kinds of learning, training, or support would help you feel more confident engaging with these topics?”

Encourage managers to listen without defensiveness and to bring feedback back to the RAP working group.

Each quarter, ask:

• Are we on track with the actions we committed to this period?
• Have we meaningfully engaged with Indigenous partners in the last three months?
• Have we communicated any progress or changes to staff?
• Have any new risks, harms, or concerns emerged that we need to address?
• Do we need to adjust timelines or actions based on what we are learning?

Use the answers to adjust your approach in real time, rather than waiting for year-end.

• Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
• Indigenous Services Canada: Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business
• Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business: Certified Aboriginal Business directory
• Indigenous Works: Employer-focused reconciliation and inclusion supports
• Legacy of Hope Foundation: Education and awareness resources

• Provincial and territorial Indigenous relations ministries
• Indigenous chambers of commerce
• Friendship Centres and urban Indigenous organizations
• First Nations Information Governance Centre (OCAP® principles)

Employers are encouraged to complement this list with region-specific resources and relationships.