Performance overview: Engagement and community relations

What we said we were going to do in 2008

• Engage community groups on proposed expansion of our Cold Lake operation and our exploration plans in northeastern British Columbia and the Beaufort Sea
• Continue to consult with regional Aboriginal groups and northern communities on the Mackenzie gas project
• Consult with stakeholders on follow-up items related to the Kearl project
• Develop action-based performance measures for consultation, workforce development, business development and community relations
• Drive consistency and apply best practices through our Aboriginal relations network

What we did in 2009

• Continued to conduct consultation in our growth areas
• Followed up on Kearl Project sanction by increasing funding support to local Aboriginal communities in accordance with co-operation agreements originally signed in 2006
• Made progress in advancing benefits and access agreements with Aboriginal groups along the proposed Mackenzie gas project route. Agreements are now in place with four out of five groups.
• Sponsored a traditional land use study at Horn River, our proposed shale gas project near Fort Nelson, British Columbia
• Committed $2 million to support the creation of a national leadership program for First Nations, Métis and Inuit women
• Increased the number of programs that we support that promote education, environment and civic and community causes
• Continue to work with the Four Nations of Hobbema in a traditional land use study and consultation of the remediation and reclamation of facilities on reserve land

What we plan to do

• Encourage our contractors at Kearl to offer contracting and job opportunities to local Aboriginal businesses and people.
• Expand our outreach activities to communities south of Fort McMurray
• Use the traditional land use study findings to minimize our footprint during planning and construction of our proposed Horn River project
• Increase the representation of Aboriginal employees at Imperial
• Encourage capacity building in Aboriginal communities and support the development of contracts to Aboriginal and local businesses
• Conduct Aboriginal cultural awareness training for 4,000 employees and contractors at our Kearl project
• Promote our Indigenous Women in Community Leadership program that is to start in 2011 in the areas where we operate
• Continue to promote community programs with an emphasis on education, environment and civic and community causes.