Digging deep: how mining companies need to address community safety internally and externally 

Canada owes a great deal of its prosperity to the mining industry, with the impact of the resource sector set to grow even further as Canada fast tracks “projects of national interest” through the newly established Major Projects Office (MPO). The natural resources sector accounted for 19% of total Canadian GDP in 2022, and per a report from Public Policy Forum, the more than 500 resource development projects currently listed in the Natural Resources Canada Major Projects Inventory could have a cumulative positive GPD impact of more than $1.1 trillion by 2035.  

Tapping into this country’s vast natural gifts is in all Canadians’ interest, but it is also incumbent upon mining and extraction companies to do so in a sustainable way that is healthy for all citizens. Research has linked large resource extraction projects, particularly industrial boomtown environments, to an array of issues in nearby communities, including sexual exploitation and sex trafficking. These negative effects disproportionally impact Indigenous communities and have been linked to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) crisis in Canada. 

Workcamp environments have also been shown to have an adverse effect on worker well-being, with all employees reporting elevated levels of stress, anxiety and isolation, and female employees reporting gender discrimination and harassment. The impact extraction projects have on both workers and neighbouring communities are closely connected and putting a greater emphasis on education, safety and health internally can have a downstream positive impact beyond the workplace. Community buy-in, particularly from Indigenous groups, is crucial to bringing major projects to fruition, so it is in the best interest of companies to focus their efforts on this issue.   

Why the resource extraction industry must address this issue 

The EmpowerMen Project is part of the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, an established Indigenous-led service provider located in Winnipeg, Man. In Dec. 2025, EmpowerMen published the report “Sex Trafficking and Sexual Violence in Canada’s Resource Extraction Industry: A Review of Evidence, Policy and Recommendations,” prepared by anti-trafficking researcher Allison McKnight. The report is a comprehensive desk review of existing evidence, drawing on over 200 sources, including academic articles, grey literature, news reports and company statements, on the intersection between the extraction industry and sexual exploitation in Canada. 

Although remote communities may welcome the employment and economic benefits of resource projects, sudden influxes of outside workers can strain policing, medical and social services. Research has linked boomtowns and nearby work camps with increased crime, including violent and sexual assaults. In the 2000s, Fort McMurray police handled caseloads more than twice the provincial average and over three times the national average. Although rates have declined since 2008, the Crime Severity Index (CSI) remains high in resource-dependent communities including Fort McMurray and Lloydminster. A July 2026 Thomson Reuters report found a disproportionate number of MMIWG cases in Prince George, B.C., and identified a trafficking “movement corridor” from Edmonton to Fort McMurray. International studies also associate extraction boomtowns with increased sexual exploitation and trafficking. Canada’s 2019 National Inquiry linked extractive industries and transient workers with sexual violence. Implementing Calls for Justice 13.1 to 13.5 is essential to meaningful reconciliation and Indigenous cooperation.  

Recommendations for positive change 

Sexual exploitation and trafficking can sometimes feel like a topic too big and intimidating to take on, but again, companies have a great deal of power over their own culture and employees, which can have a knock-on positive effect on the wider community. The reports, studies and inquiries that have identified links between the resource extraction industry and sexual exploitation and trafficking, have also provided recommendations about what can be done to address the issue. The following recommendations fall under four broad umbrellas, starting internally with training and HR policies, then shifting the focus outward, toward agreements and collaboration with communities, governments and other stakeholders.  

1. Worker training 

Workers need substantive, comprehensive training covering a broad range of topics, including sexual violence and harassment, human trafficking identification and referral, gender-based violence prevention, anti-racism and Indigenous reconciliation. Where possible, companies should partner with community organizations, who will be able to provide more informed, locally grounded training. This is particularly true when working with Indigenous communities. In cases where local training is not available, companies should be prepared to fill in the gaps or fund organizations that can.  

It is crucial to make sure workers are absorbing and taking to heart the information and messages delivered in this training. Strong procedures and testing to ensure workers are engaging with training materials properly should be in place, and the information being taught should be continually updated and reinforced.  

2. Company policies 

Companies also need to foster a culture of accountability by proactively and publicly addressing the issue of sexual violence and harassment and evaluate current policies using risk-assessment tools. Specific protections for women should be implemented, including safe environments, personal safety tools and reporting mechanisms, with appropriate supports available for when violence and harassment do occur. There should be a zero-tolerance policy for any sort of violence, harassment or support of sexual exploitation. 

Companies should provide mental health supports for all employees, preferably through a third party, to support confidentiality. Low-barrier support groups should be offered, especially for men on how to cultivate healthy relationships and families. Indigenous-led and centered cultural activities and healing services should also be offered. Guidelines for how to respond to workers who are dealing with mental health, substance abuse and other issues need to be in place and consistently followed. 

3. Impact and benefit agreements (IBAs) 

Engaging with Indigenous communities in a good way from the start when negotiating Impact and Benefit Agreements (IBAs) is crucial to future positive cooperation and communication. The IBA process should include Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) to keep the effect on women and girls front-of-mind. 

More broadly speaking, companies should seek to move beyond the financial and environmental issues IBAs have traditionally focused on. IBAs should also address social issues, with strong measures to prevent and address gender-based exploitation, violence and trafficking. Of course, strong mechanisms to monitor and enforce the terms of the IBA should also be implemented.  

Companies should also consider moving beyond the IBA towards more comprehensive agreements that involve First Nations taking a full ownership stake in projects, which will better ensure Indigenous perspectives and interests are represented. 

4. Collaboration with community, government and other stakeholders 

While a company’s internal policies are important, they should also make proactive efforts to reach out to the community to create new relationships and networks. These networks should include Indigenous leaders, law enforcement, health and service providers and other community leaders who are doing the work to document and address sexual exploitation and trafficking. 

Companies should help create community resources if none exist by providing funding and support for programs and services for people affected by sexual exploitation. Once established, companies can also create a database or map of these resources. If a community is unlikely to be able to offer their own supports, companies should establish their own in-house crisis response programs to address these issues. 

How EmpowerMen can help 

EmpowerMen engages men and boys on sexual exploitation and sex trafficking through initiatives including corporate relationship building. Training delivered with law enforcement, health care workers, service providers and lived-experience speakers helps workers recognize and safely support victims. Sessions use practical scenarios, intervention strategies and resources grounded in trauma-informed, victim-centred practice and can be tailored to company needs. EmpowerMen also consults on training programs, facilitates connections, hosts corporate sessions and organizes a national Law Enforcement Conference. Mining and resource companies can strengthen policies, worker wellbeing and outreach, helping create healthier workplaces, meaningfully advance reconciliation and reduce social risks in remote communities. 

Nathan Birch is the communications coordinator for EmpowerMen and has over 15 years of experience in the communications, publishing and advertising fields(EmpowerMen.ca).