Session Description
Meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples is critical to effective impact assessment and project delivery, yet it often begins after key project parameters are set. This limits opportunities for Indigenous knowledge, cultural values and community aspirations to shape outcomes. This session explores how early and sustained Indigenous participation, from project inception through delivery, can improve environmental, social and cultural outcomes, strengthen relationships, reduce project risk and build community capacity. Drawing on examples from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Peru, speakers will share how early engagement creates benefits for communities and projects.
In Australia, the Boorloo Bridge project demonstrates how early and sustained engagement with Traditional Owners influenced infrastructure design to create an iconic legacy while contributing to reconciliation. It received the 2025 IAP2 Core Values Awards Australasian Project of the Year.
In Canada, long-term relationships with Indigenous communities, supported through Indigenous Relations Coordination Offices, are transforming engagement by recognising community capacity constraints and supporting collaboration beyond individual projects.
In Peru, cultural and linguistic diversity demands approaches that value local knowledge. Innovative capacity-building programs demonstrate how local knowledge systems can contribute to stronger social management practices and long-term development outcomes.
In New Zealand, project teams are using Indigenous design frameworks and co-design approaches to integrate Māori values, narratives and cultural identity into the built environment from the earliest stage.
Session Summary
What happens when Indigenous engagement begins early? Join speakers from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Peru as they share practical lessons on moving engagement upstream to improve impact assessment, enable co-design, strengthen community capacity, and create better outcomes for people and projects.
Additional Information
This could also fall under the conference stream G11
The proposed speakers for this session are:
WSP Australia: Fiona Bettesworth
WSP Canada: Christine Furtado
WSP Peru: Nino Ramos
WSP New Zealand: Zara Balador
After each of the presentations, sufficient time will be allocated to panel discussion / Q&A
Session Chair
Fiona Bettesworth
WSP Australia
Australia