C. Managing Canada's Resources and Industries · Managing Canada's Resources and IndustriesWho Decides? Governments, Industries, Groups and Individuals
C2.4 A2.3About 70 minutes
Learning goals- I can describe the roles of governments, industries, advocacy groups, community organizations and individuals in resource decisions.
- I can analyze how each of these groups influences the sustainable development and use of a natural resource.
- I can analyze a current news story about a resource issue using geographic thinking.
Words to know
jurisdiction
The legal authority to make decisions about something. Resources fall under different levels of government.
stakeholder
A person or group with an interest in a decision or affected by it.
rights holder
A group whose legal rights, such as Aboriginal and treaty rights, are affected by a decision. Indigenous nations are rights holders, not just stakeholders.
advocacy group
An organization that tries to influence public opinion and decisions in support of a cause or interest.
lobbying
Trying to influence government decision-makers directly.
public consultation
A process where governments ask the public for comments before making a decision.
conservation authority
In Ontario, a local agency organized by watershed that manages flood risks and protects natural areas. Ontario has 36, but a 2026 law will merge them into 9 regional conservation authorities (planned for February 2027).
co-management
Shared management of a resource by governments and Indigenous nations or communities.
Hook: a lake in cottage country
Picture a lake in Ontario's cottage country. A company wants to expand a quarry near its shore. The township must decide on zoning. The province issues the licence. The lake association worries about dust and water. A First Nation has treaty rights to fish there. An environmental group studies turtles in the wetland. A teenager starts an online petition. Local workers want the jobs.
Who decides? In Canada, many groups influence what happens to resources. Understanding who has power, and how they use it, is key to understanding sustainability.
Governments
Federal government: fisheries and fish habitat, oceans, navigable waters, nuclear energy, interprovincial and international pipelines and power lines, major impact assessments, international trade and environmental agreements, and responsibilities to First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
Provincial governments: under section 92A of the Constitution Act, 1867 (added in 1982), provinces own and control most natural resources: forests on Crown land, mining and mineral claims, oil and gas, electricity, provincial parks and water-taking permits. Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources is one example.
Municipal governments: zoning (what land can be used for), drinking water treatment, waste and recycling, and local bylaws (such as tree-cutting rules). Ontario's 36 conservation authorities, organized by watershed, manage flood risks and protect natural areas. (A 2026 provincial law will merge them into 9 larger regional authorities, planned for February 2027, so check the current number.)
Indigenous governments: First Nations, Métis and Inuit governments make laws and plans for their lands, are consulted on (and increasingly consent to) projects, co-manage resources such as fisheries and wildlife, and run Guardians programs and IPCAs. They are rights holders, not only stakeholders.
How governments influence: laws and regulations, permits, taxes and incentives, funding, research, protected areas, and owning companies (such as Ontario Power Generation, owned by the province).
Industries
Companies decide where to invest, which technologies to use, and how to manage environmental and social impacts. They provide jobs and pay taxes and royalties. They also influence decisions by lobbying governments, through industry associations (such as the Mining Association of Canada or the Forest Products Association of Canada) and through voluntary standards (like Towards Sustainable Mining). Investors and banks influence companies too, by asking for climate and human rights information.
Advocacy groups
Advocacy groups work for a cause. Environmental groups (such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada, which protects land by buying or receiving it, or Ecojustice, which takes environmental cases to court) use research, media campaigns, legal action and partnerships. Industry and labour groups also advocate for jobs and investment. Advocacy groups can change laws, stop or reshape projects, and raise public awareness.
Local community organizations
Lake associations, naturalist clubs, stream restoration groups, farmers' organizations, local Indigenous organizations and chambers of commerce bring local knowledge and people power. They monitor water quality, plant trees, comment on plans and organize events.
Individuals
Individuals influence decisions by voting, contacting elected officials, joining consultations, signing petitions, choosing what to buy, volunteering and speaking out. Some become well-known: Autumn Peltier, an Anishinaabe water advocate from Wiikwemkoong First Nation, began speaking about water protection as a child and addressed the United Nations in 2018.
Analyzing a current event (A2.3)
When you read a news story about a resource issue, ask:
- Where is it, and why does the location matter? (spatial significance)
- Who is involved, and what do they want? Who holds rights?
- How are they trying to influence the outcome?
- What are the interrelationships between the environment, society and economy?
- Whose voices are missing from the story?
- Who published the story, and is the reporting balanced?
Worked exampleModelled example: map the influence
A company proposes a new gravel pit (an aggregate operation) next to a river in a rural Ontario township. Analyze who influences the decision and how.
- Province: issues the aggregate licence under the Aggregate Resources Act and sets rules for operations and rehabilitation.
- Municipality: decides on zoning changes and holds a public meeting; council members are elected and listen to residents.
- Conservation authority: reviews flooding and wetland impacts near the river.
- First Nations: the Crown must consult nations whose treaty or Aboriginal rights may be affected, for example fishing in the river.
- Company: provides studies (water, noise, traffic), offers jobs and may change the design to address concerns.
- Advocacy and community groups: a local residents' association raises concerns about truck traffic and well water; a naturalist group documents turtle habitat.
- Individuals: residents speak at meetings, write letters and vote in the next municipal election.
Many groups shape the outcome. Governments decide, but their decisions are influenced by rights holders, evidence, companies, organized groups and individuals.
Hands-on activityFollow a local resource issue
You need: a local newspaper or news website, or your municipality's website (with a grown-up), and paper.
- Find a current resource issue near you: a new subdivision on farmland, a quarry, a water-taking permit, a wind farm, a forest plan, a shoreline project or a park.
- Make an influence map like the one in this lesson. Put the resource in the middle and the groups around it.
- For each group, write what they want and how they are trying to influence the decision.
- Find the date of the next public meeting or consultation, if there is one.
- Write a short letter (you do not need to send it) to the decision-maker, stating your view and two pieces of evidence.
Just for funHow many levels of government does it take to change a light bulb?
It depends: is the bulb in a federal building, on provincial Crown land, under a municipal bylaw, or in a co-managed park? (Please submit your answer in three copies.)
Your turn
1Which level of government controls most natural resources in Canada, and why?
Provincial governments. The Constitution (section 92A, added in 1982) gives provinces ownership and control of most natural resources within their borders, and most land is provincial Crown land.
2Give two federal responsibilities related to resources.
Any two: fisheries and fish habitat, oceans, navigable waters, nuclear energy, interprovincial pipelines, major impact assessments, international trade and agreements.
3Why are Indigenous nations described as rights holders, not just stakeholders?
They have constitutionally protected Aboriginal and treaty rights (section 35), so governments have legal duties to consult them and, increasingly, seek their consent; they are governments, not only interested parties.
4Name three ways advocacy groups influence resource decisions.
Any three: research and reports, media campaigns, legal action, lobbying, buying or protecting land, partnerships, public education.
5How do local community organizations contribute to sustainable resource use?
They bring local knowledge, monitor water and habitat, organize clean-ups and tree planting, comment on plans and rally people to participate.
6List four ways an individual can influence a resource decision.
Any four: voting, contacting elected officials, joining public consultations, signing or starting petitions, choosing certified or local products, volunteering, speaking out in media or at meetings.
More practice: warm-up
1How many conservation authorities did Ontario have in 2026, and what change is planned?
- A 2026 law will merge them into 9 regional conservation authorities (planned for February 2027).
Trying to influence government decision-makers directly.
3Which level of government controls zoning?
4Who owns Ontario Power Generation?
The Government of Ontario.
A person or group with an interest in, or affected by, a decision.
More practice: on your own
1Explain how consumers can influence forestry practices.
By choosing certified products (such as FSC), consumers create demand for responsibly managed wood; companies seek certification to keep customers, which changes practices in the forest.
2Why might an industry and an environmental group both claim to support 'sustainable development' but disagree about a project?
They may weigh the three pillars differently: the industry may focus on jobs and economic benefits with some environmental protections, while the environmental group may focus on ecosystem limits; they may also interpret the evidence differently.
3How can a lawsuit change resource development?
Courts can decide that a government did not follow the law or consult properly, which can cancel or delay permits and force better processes.
4Give an example of co-management and explain one benefit.
Example: a fishery or wildlife board shared by a government and Indigenous nations (as set up under modern treaties such as the Nunavut agreement). Benefit: combines Indigenous and scientific knowledge and builds trust in decisions.
5Why should you ask 'whose voices are missing?' when reading a news story?
Stories may only quote officials or companies; missing voices (local residents, Indigenous nations, workers, youth) may reveal other impacts and perspectives needed for a fair analysis.
Challenge
1Rank the influence of governments, industries, advocacy groups, community organizations and individuals on Ontario's forests. Justify your top and bottom choices.
Sample: Most influential: the provincial government, because it owns Crown forests, approves management plans and issues licences. Close behind: Indigenous governments, whose rights and consent shape plans, and industries that hold licences and do the harvesting. Least direct influence: individuals, whose influence is usually indirect (voting, buying, commenting), though collective action can be powerful. Any ranking with clear criteria is acceptable.
2Explain how one individual's actions can grow into broader influence. Use Autumn Peltier or another example.
Autumn Peltier began speaking about water as a child, inspired by family members; media coverage and speeches, including at the UN in 2018, raised national and international awareness of water issues in First Nations. Individual voices gain influence through media, organizations and networks that amplify them.
3Analyze how influence can be unequal among groups, and suggest one way to make decision-making fairer.
Large companies and governments have more money, experts and access to decision-makers than small community groups or remote nations. Ways to make it fairer: funding for communities and nations to do their own studies, holding meetings locally and in Indigenous languages, early consultation, and making data public.
Quiz
1. Under Canada's Constitution, which level of government has most control over natural resources such as forests and minerals?
2. Which is an example of an advocacy group influencing resource development?
3. Which level of government is mainly responsible for zoning, such as where a gravel pit may operate inside a municipality?
4. Autumn Peltier, from Wiikwemkoong, is known for:
5. Which is the best example of an individual influencing sustainable resource use?
6. Why might an industry association, such as the Mining Association of Canada, be considered an advocacy group too?
Your teen is learning that resource decisions involve many players. A great home activity is to look together at your municipality's website for a public notice or council agenda about land, water or waste. Common difficulties: thinking the federal government controls all resources (provinces control most); calling Indigenous nations 'stakeholders' only; assuming individuals have no influence. Encourage your teen to ask 'whose voices are missing?' whenever they read news.