Canada’s National Contact Point annual report 2024

Table of contents

• Overview
• Institutional arrangement
• Supporting engagement at the OECD
• Promotion and outreach
• Specific instances

1. Overview

Canada is an adherent to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and to the Declaration’s (“the Guidelines”).

The Guidelines are one of the most comprehensive and widely endorsed sets of principles and recommendations on responsible business conduct (“RBC”) for multinational enterprises. Canada and 51 other adherent countries recommend observance of the Guidelines to multinational enterprises operating in or from their territories. As highlighted in Responsible Business Conduct Abroad: Canada’s Strategy for the Future, the Guidelines are a key source of both guidance and expectations for Canadian companies operating abroad.   

Canada maintains a National Contact Point (NCP) for Responsible Business Conduct to promote awareness and uptake of the Guidelines. The NCP also provides a non-judicial process to help resolve disputes about implementation of the Guidelines by multinational enterprises operating in or from Canada. In fulfilling these two mandates, the NCP contributes to advancing Canada’s strategy for helping Canadian companies implement RBC in their activities abroad.       

This Annual Report highlights activities of Canada’s NCP from January 1 to December 31, 2024.

Canada’s NCP advanced several dispute-resolution processes (“specific instances”) throughout the year. This work included:

• facilitating dialogue between the parties in 2 specific instances
• publishing 3 final statements
• carrying out follow-up in 1 specific instance
• Receiving and initiating assessment of 2 new requests for review

2. Institutional arrangement

Canada’s NCP is an interdepartmental committee of 8 federal departments: 抖淫视频; Natural Resources Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada; Employment and Social Development Canada; Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada; the Department of Finance Canada; and Public Services and Procurement Canada. The committee is chaired by the Director General of 抖淫视频’s Trade Strategy Bureau.

The NCP committee was engaged regularly throughout the year to confirm the direction of specific instance processes; review and approve NCP documents; and provide input on promotion and policy initiatives. The committee convened for a full meeting in May 2024.

The NCP is supported by a secretariat in 抖淫视频’s Responsible Business Conduct Division. The Secretariat provides administrative support to the NCP, leading on case-handling as well as outreach activities. The Secretariat also supports Canada’s engagement on RBC initiatives within the OECD context.

3. Supporting engagement at the OECD

Supporting NCP peer reviews

At the March 2024 meeting of the OECD Working Party on RBC, Canada’s NCP Secretariat presented the outcomes of the fact-finding mission and recommendations on behalf of the peer review team for Estonia’s NCP 2023 peer review. This is the fifth time that Canada’s NCP has served as peer reviewer.

Supporting RBC work at the OECD

The NCP Secretariat continued to support Canada’s delegation to the OECD Working Party on RBC (WPRBC). The NCP Secretariat also managed the Government of Canada’s voluntary contribution to the OECD Centre for RBC, supporting analysis, research, and activities related to RBC and to strengthening the global NCP network.

4. Promotion and outreach

Canada’s NCP engaged in a variety of promotion and outreach initiatives throughout 2024, primarily by participating in or incorporating content on the OECD Guidelines in webinars, training sessions, and other RBC engagement organized or supported by 抖淫视频.

In December 2024, Canada’s NCP and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) jointly organized a virtual event entitled “Emerging Technology and Responsible Business Conduct in the Global Economy”. The panel discussion featured expert speakers from CIGI, the OECD RBC Centre, and TECHNATION Canada. Attendees included stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, academia, and government.   

5. Specific instances

The NCP concluded four specific instances in 2024:

• Barrick Gold and individuals from Bandayi and Mege, Democratic Republic of Congo: The Notifier raised several issues concerning implementation of the Guidelines in relation to a mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The NCP offered good offices and facilitated engagement between the parties in 2023. A Final statement was published on May 17, 2024.
• Sun Peak Metals Corp. and United Tegaru Canada: The Notifier, a Canada-based NGO, raised several questions about the Respondent’s approach to recommendations in Chapter IV (Human Rights) in relation to its mineral exploration activities in Ethiopia. The NCP offered good offices and facilitated a dialogue between the parties in October 2023. The NCP published a Final statement on April 3, 2024, which included recommendations. The NCP conducted follow-up with the parties later in the year.
• East Africa Metals Inc. and United Tegaru Canada: The Notifier raised questions about the Respondent’s approach to recommendations in Chapter IV (Human Rights) in relation to its mineral exploration activities in Ethiopia. The NCP facilitated a dialogue between the parties in February 2024 and published a Final statement on June 7, 2024. The Final Statement included recommendations and a commitment by the NCP to follow-up with the parties.
• Parallel Mining Corp. and United Tegaru Canada: The Notifier, a Canada-based NGO had raised questions about the Respondent’s approach to recommendations in Chapter IV (Human Rights) in relation to its mineral exploration activities in Ethiopia. The NCP published its Initial assessment on January 18, 2024. The parties accepted the offer of good offices, and the NCP facilitated a dialogue between the parties in fall 2024.

As of December 31, 2024, Canada’s NCP was engaged with the parties in advancing 1 active specific instance. The NCP was also in the early stages of assessing 2 requests for review received earlier in the month.