We believe that increasing opportunities for our employees to learn about and engage with Indigenous communities strengthens relationships. That’s why we’re committed to increasing opportunities for our personnel to learn about and engage with Indigenous communities by:

Providing cultural awareness courses and training on Indigenous culture, beliefs and history as well as ways to forge healthy, respectful and positive relationships with Indigenous peoples.

The training has been mandatory for all management employees working in Canadian operations since 2019. The course is also part of CN’s unionized new hire program at the CN Campus in Winnipeg, MB. The interactive training provides insight on CN’s Indigenous Vision and Policy and how to support it; Indigenous culture and history; and ways to forge healthy, respectful and positive relationships with Indigenous . Since the program began in 2014, more than 24,000 employees have completed the training, bringing the training to more than 80% of CN’s active Canadian workforce.

Fostering a culture of mutual respect and understanding through direct and proactive community engagement and participation in Indigenous cultural events.

Examples in 2023 include:.

• Cheam Indian Band – Cheam Days
• Enoch Cree Nation – Powwow and Treaty Day Relay
• First Peoples Cultural Foundation – First Voices
• Kahnawake – Echoes of a Proud Nation Powwow
• Kamloopa Powwow
• Lheidli T’enneh First Nation – National Indigenous Peoples Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
• Millbrook First Nation – Mi’kmaw Summer Games
• Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation – Historical Gathering
• Quesnel Tillicum Society – Memorial Powwow
• Siksika Nation – Christmas Celebration and Powwow
• Spuzzum First Nation – First Fish Ceremony
• Treaty One Nation – National Gathering
• Wendake – International Powwow

Providing a safe space for Indigenous and non-Indigenous CN personnel to share, learn and grow together through a working environment that is culturally sensitive and supportive of all personnel.

CN’s Indigenous Employee Resource Group (ERG) provides opportunities for employees to explore the unique experiences, cultures and histories of Indigenous peoples. The ERG promotes reconciliation and shared learning by engaging in dialogue across the Company. CN and the Indigenous ERG hold events throughout the year, such as celebrations of National Indigenous Peoples Day, recognitions of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, book club meetings and more.

CN is committed to being an employer of choice by building strong relationships with Indigenous communities and organizations, and increasing Indigenous representation, retention, and promotion in CN’s workforce by:

Working with Indigenous communities and institutions to promote Indigenous employment and deliver Indigenous training opportunities.

CN continues to participate in many events with Indigenous communities to help build stronger relationships while promoting employment opportunities and our commitment to diversity and inclusion. CN attended, and in some cases sponsored, several job fairs in 2023 aimed at Indigenous recruitment:

Supporting the hiring and training of Indigenous people at CN through Indigenous-specific recruitment

Initiatives in 2023 included:

• Via a multi-year agreement with Indspire, we held several events throughout the year as well as sponsored Soaring 2023 and the Spark Indigenous Youth Careers Conference.
• Secured an advertorial in the National Post featuring Indigenous employees and promoting Indigenous hiring and recruitment.
• Ran radio ads specifically encouraging Indigenous people to apply for available jobs.
• Launched five national campaigns with Indigenous Link, an Indigenous-owned and -led sourcing firm, in addition to having all our jobs appear on their job board

Developing and implementing fair and equitable measures to promote and provide access to career opportunities for qualified Indigenous candidates, including Indigenous youth, and the retention of Indigenous employees.




 

Vanessa James, Manager, Indigenous Relations, Employment Partnerships, speaking at an Indspire event.

CN continues to support the development of, and access to, jobs for Indigenous youth across our network. In 2023, CN continued its outreach and support of its key partners to help lay the foundation for long-term success for the Indigenous candidates we hire. Examples include:

• AMIK, an organization that offers professional Indigenous engagement services to support our recruitment activities with pre-selection and interview preparation for Indigenous candidates.
• With the support of AMIK, CN is partnering with the Cowessess First Nation to recruit Indigenous talent in Southeastern Saskatchewan.
• CN also supports and participates in Indspire events geared to Indigenous youth.



Percentage of Indigenous employees hired at CN




Year	Internal Representation*	New Hires*
2019	4.7%	6.0%
2020	4.7%	4.5%
2021	5.5%	6.7%
2022	5.6%	4.9%
2023	5.8%	6.0%





*Based on self-identification.


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CN recognizes the importance of actively seeking ways to provide economic benefits to Indigenous communities where CN operates and commits to supporting reconciliation by:

Increasing the participation of Indigenous companies in CN’s business through direct procurement of goods and services.

CN engages with Indigenous businesses and embeds Indigenous participation within our procurement activities. We recognize various forms of Indigenous inclusion, such as:

• Ownership - At least 51% owned, controlled, and actively managed by Indigenous people.
• Joint Ventures or Partnerships - Consisting of at least one supplier with Indigenous ownership.
• Designated Indigenous Businesses - Indigenous communities may designate preferred businesses that partner with them.
• Subcontracting - CN suppliers that subcontract part of the work to Indigenous businesses.

To embed Indigenous participation within CN's procurement process, we have defined six guiding principles for suppliers, contractors, and subcontractors:

• Proposals must meet CN’s safety and performance standards.
• Proposals must be market competitive.
• Any subcontracting opportunities should prioritize businesses with Indigenous participation.
• Any list of designated suppliers must be provided by the Indigenous community in writing.
• All proposals are evaluated on their level of effort to incorporate Indigenous participation in their services, whether through direct hiring, partnership, or sub-contracting opportunities.
• Reports are required and discussions take place to monitor Indigenous inclusion activities.

Investing in the growth and development of Indigenous communities or companies to promote sustainable and mutually beneficial opportunities.

For example:

CN sponsored the British Columbia Achievement Foundation’s 2023 Indigenous Business Award (IBA) Celebration, which honoured excellence and focused on the successes of Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs. The IBA program offers recipients and their supporters an authentic space to showcase their achievements, build bridges between BC’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous economies, and celebrate success, diversity and inclusion.

CN sponsored three Nation2Nation events: the Terrace Indigenous Business Forum, the Women’s Gathering, and SHE LEADS. The purpose of Nation2Nation is to provide First Nations leaders in Northwestern BC the opportunity to outline how industry and government can help address economic, environmental, social and Indigenous rights issues to improve outcomes for communities and future generations.

CN presented the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s Indigenous Opportunities Forum 2023. The event brought together local First Nations and Greater Vancouver business and economic development leaders to connect, discuss and learn about projects, partnerships and opportunities for growth and sustainability in the region.

 

Mélanie Allaire, Head of Indigenous Relations, had the privilege of conducting a fireside chat with Abel Bosum, former Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Cree, at a conference in Montreal organized to discuss leadership and collaboration with Indigenous communities on major projects.

CN commits to proactively engaging with and fostering respectful and mutually beneficial relationships with Indigenous communities by:

Increasing CN’s engagement and collaboration with Indigenous communities

In 2023, CN supported many Indigenous community-based organizations. The following are a few examples:

• Aamjiwnaag Athletic Club Youth Empowerment
• File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council - Christmas Food Drive
• Indigenous Community Food Sovereignty and Educational Resources
• Indigenous Friends Association - iConnectED, an Ingenious Educational Platform
• Kwantlen First Nation – Wellness Week
• Seabird Island Indian Band – Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative
• Skeetchestn Indian Band – Deadman’s Creek Rodeo
• Stellat’en First Nation – Veteran’s Memorial Park
• Wanuskewin Heritage Park – Thundering Ahead

Proactively meeting and engaging with Indigenous communities to support an open dialogue and identify opportunities to achieve shared values and outcomes.

The following are a few of the Indigenous organizations CN partnered with in 2023:

• Aboriginal Peoples Television – Indigenous Day Live
• Assembly of First Nations
• First Nation Major Project Coalition
• Rural Development Network Society – Indigenous Speaker Series
• Yorkton Tribal Council - Building Resilience and Collaboration with First Nations

Offering support for community-led initiatives, events, education and projects through CN.

In a typical year, CN contributes to many initiatives supporting Indigenous communities to help build stronger ties while promoting our commitment to diversity and inclusion. The following are a few examples from 2023:

• CN scholarships at Banff Centre for the Arts reduce financial barriers for at least six people accepted into one of the Centre’s Indigenous Leadership Management programs, providing a direct, positive impact on diversity in the community
• CN contributed to Western University’s Western Engineering Outreach Program’s Indigenous Leaders in Training Project to help teach Indigenous youth in grades 7 to 12 how to be leaders in their communities.
• Other partners include:
     - Ann Davis Transition Society – Indigenous Outreach Service
     - Calgary Flames – Indigenous Night
     - Centre d’amitié autochtone de La Tuque
     - Let’s Talk Science - Engaging Indigenous Youth in Canada in STEM Learning
     - Level – Indigenous Youth Outreach Program
     - Outward Bound – Indigenous Youth Leadership Program
     - Stollery Children’s Hospital – Awasisak Program
     - University of Manitoba – Truth and Reconciliation Week

CN recognizes the importance of the environment to the social, cultural, and economic wellbeing of Indigenous peoples and commits to protecting and reducing the impact on the environment in which it operates by:

Working with Indigenous communities to identify and protect sites of significant historical, spiritual or cultural importance, while protecting the confidential nature of community information.

We listen and respond to feedback we receive from stakeholders and rightsholders. An example is CN’s Milton Logistics Hub project where Indigenous communities were engaged early and continue to participate in programs associated with archaeology, fisheries, water quality, and wildlife, among others. Their insight and knowledge were integrated into reports and mitigation plans that are being used during construction of the Milton Logistics Hub.

Post-construction of projects, we monitor our mitigation measures and adjust when required. This allows us to verify that our initiatives are functional, which helps improve the design and delivery of future projects. CN is also committed to follow-up programs and ongoing engagement with local and Indigenous communities.

Involving Indigenous communities, where possible, in environmental and archeological surveys for development projects.

Before starting construction projects, CN engages early to identify and assess potential environmental risk impacts. We work cross-functionally within CN and externally with regulators, experts, local municipalities, and Indigenous communities to inventory and identify critical habitat, species at risk, sensitive areas as well as archaeological and heritage features. We also work with key stakeholders and rightsholders to identify opportunities to implement mitigation measures using the hierarchy of avoidance, minimization, restoration, and offsetting, where appropriate. Our systematic approach ensures we consider the specific environmental and regulatory context when completing maintenance, growth, remediation, and/or emergency response projects across our network.

Working collaboratively with Indigenous communities on infrastructure concerns and site restoration.

Providing first responders and their community partners rail safety or industry-specific training opportunities.

We focus on preventative maintenance, spill prevention, and emergency preparedness to limit the potential impacts of incidents. We take steps to ensure our employees, emergency response partners as well as local and Indigenous communities are prepared in the event of an incident. Using our network emergency response plan, which outlines what is needed to ensure any spills or releases are attended to promptly, we engage stakeholders and rightsholders in emergency drills to practice response skills.

CN also provides funding to help improve the emergency response capabilities of Indigenous communities, such as the Boothroyd Indian Band.