Meet the Board: Nalaine Morin – Redefining Project Development Through Inclusion and Indigenous Leadership
Written by Chris Cannon (cannonwriter@gmail.com)
With a background in both technical engineering and Indigenous governance, Nalaine Morin brings a rare and essential perspective to the BRIMM Board of Directors. Over the course of her career, she has grown from a technical specialist into a nationally recognized leader in environmental assessment and Indigenous consultation—work that’s reshaping the way mining and resource projects are developed across Canada.
“I started out in a much more technical role,” she explains, “but I just sort of gravitated more toward the responsibility of bringing people together—the social aspects of project development.”
That shift has since defined her career. Morin is widely respected for her ability to navigate complex, multi-stakeholder environments, balancing engineering, environmental stewardship, and Indigenous rights. She has served as a trusted advisor to governments, communities, and corporations on projects ranging from mining to major infrastructure, and has helped set new standards for how Indigenous knowledge is integrated into Western science frameworks.
Her approach to leadership is grounded in transparency and mutual accountability. “It’s really about finding common ground and creating a safe space for conversation,” she says. “I’m a huge believer in transparency and accountability, and putting commitment into the relationships that need to be formed so that you can have challenging conversations.” In a space where cross-cultural understanding is crucial but often lacking, Morin’s work is helping to build a more equitable and collaborative model for project development.
At BRIMM, Morin sees an opportunity to apply that same philosophy on a broader scale. “When you look at BRIMM’s overall vision, they want to be able to support and steward good project development,” she says. “And in order to do that, they need to be holistic. They need to be well-rounded.”
Her role on the board is to ensure that BRIMM doesn’t just focus on the technical and environmental aspects of mining, but also brings in the social, cultural, and governance dimensions—particularly the perspectives of Indigenous nations as governments in their own right, “bringing a slightly different lens to how projects move forward—like the weaving of Indigenous knowledge and Western science to design a water stewardship plan for a project, for instance. Then they have the support they need to get the proper advice.”
Morin’s insights come at a time when the role of Indigenous governments in resource decision-making is rapidly developing, particularly in British Columbia. “Over my career, I’ve really seen it evolve. When I first started out, there was no distinct role for society in a project’s development, no role for First Nations, and that’s significantly different to where we are today.” Now, however, the responsibility for inclusive decision-making is shared. “It’s the responsibility of both parties to learn how to communicate, to learn how to work together.”
She believes BRIMM has a vital role to play in this future. “If BRIMM can provide support and advice to companies and universities on holistic social license and supporting inclusion and relationship development, then I think we’re ahead of the game.” By helping to integrate technical excellence with social responsibility, Morin is ensuring that BRIMM remains not just relevant—but transformative—in the way mining projects are imagined, built, and sustained.