Indigenous-led data platform aims to reduce conflicts between First Nations and industry

A new Indigenous-led data platform is being rolled out across Canada in an effort to overhaul the way governments and businesses engage with First Nations and to reduce the conflict that often springs from out-of-date or inaccurate information.

KnowledgeKeepr holds verified profiles on each of the 638 First Nations across the country. It compiles governance structures, contact details for chiefs and councillors, legal and financial records, reserve boundaries and traditional land maps. The data is drawn from publicly available sources and reviewed by Indigenous experts from each community.

The platform was founded by Robert Jago, a member of the Kwantlen First Nation who began work on the project in 2022. A beta version launched in June 2025 and the latest version is due for release on 22 May.

Mr Jago said confusion about which First Nations hold authority over particular territories has driven many disputes between extractive industries and Indigenous peoples.

“This mess we have to work with is at the root of so many problems between industry, government and First Nations” Mr Jago said. “So we want to provide authoritative, up-to-date information.”

Canada has signalled a major expansion of mining and infrastructure projects across the country including in Arctic regions where First Nations and Inuit communities hold significant rights. Stated federal goals to prioritise partnerships with affected Indigenous peoples have drawn scrutiny from some communities and conservation groups.

Mr Jago said federal officials have long struggled to navigate the country’s complex landscape of First Nations governance. When the beta version launched 6000 government officials registered within the first weeks including staff from the Prime Minister’s Office.

“There are 400 different governance systems in Canada” Mr Jago said adding the platform was built to address that complexity.

Steven Nitah is a former chief of the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation and now vice president of First 30×30 Global at Nature for Justice. Mr Nitah said the tool had real potential to support reconciliation and to strengthen relationships between First Nations themselves.

“This platform could help create connections between Indigenous governments to share knowledge” Mr Nitah said.

Subscriptions for businesses are priced at C$250 a month while First Nations members access their own community profiles for free. Sensitive cultural information such as hereditary governance structures has been excluded from the platform to respect Indigenous intellectual property and consent.

Mr Jago said the team is now preparing to extend the data set to include Métis and Inuit groups and that the central goal of the project remained unchanged.

“I’m a very activist member of my First Nation and other First Nations” Mr Jago said. “I want this to be a tool for First Nations people first and foremost.”