The Petroleum Technology Research Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan, is pleased to announce it has received Bronze Level Certification in the “Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations” (PAIR) program from the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB).
The program, which PTRC joined in 2022, recognizes organizations and companies that demonstrate performance across four key areas of relationships with Indigenous communities and businesses:
- Leadership Actions
- Employment
- Business Development
- Community Relation
“We are so pleased to have attained this milestone from such an important program,” noted Erik Nickel, the CEO and President of PTRC as he accepted the bronze level award at the CCIB’s Indigenous Relations Forum and PAIR Awards on October 14th. “As a business, we recognize the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and began our path towards that reconciliation by committing to meaningful actions.”
Those actions included the hiring of five Mitacs Indigenous interns to work in areas of energy development and knowledge dissemination, funding of Indigenous cultural events, appointment of an Indigenous board member, staff training in Indigenous culture, and most recently the planning and funding of an all-Indigenous Energy Forum at the Wanuskewin Cultural Park in April of 2026.
“We continue to work towards economic and societal reconciliation with our Indigenous partners, especially in areas of energy use and production,” said Nickel. “We are committed to this path and are pleased to remain a member of the CCIB and the PAIR program.”
You can find more about the Awards and Forum on the CCIB’s press release.