Government Relations
Bison Institute works with federal, provincial/state, territorial, municipal, and Indigenous governments to advance workforce strategies, policy alignment, and cross-jurisdictional partnerships. Our approach combines deep experience in government relations, economic development, and Indigenous economic participation with modern tools like the MasteryGraph platform for skills recognition and portable credentialing.
We help governments turn policy into measurable outcomes in critical sectors (critical minerals, healthcare, advanced manufacturing) while supporting sovereign human capital development.
Our Services
We partner with governments to build resilient workforce ecosystems and drive regional economic development, particularly in priority sectors such as critical minerals, circular economy, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing.
Key Offerings
Workforce strategy and skills pipeline development for emerging sectors
Micro-credential and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) frameworks aligned to economic priorities
Critical minerals and resource sector workforce readiness (including MasteryGraph deployment)
Indigenous economic participation and livelihood diversification programs
Regional economic development roundtables and multi-stakeholder initiatives
Outcomes
Faster alignment of education and training with labour market demand
Increased Indigenous and community participation in economic opportunities
Portable, industry-recognized credentials that support mobility and employer needs
Stronger public-private and government-community partnerships
We provide advisory support on policy development, cross-jurisdictional collaboration, and intergovernmental processes, drawing on senior government experience across multiple jurisdictions.
Key Offerings
Policy advisory and framework development (workforce, education, research, economic development)
Support for devolution, trilateral, and multi-level government negotiations
Cross-border and interprovincial/territorial partnership facilitation
Research capacity building and Tri-Council (SSHRC/NSERC) eligibility pathways for institutions
Funding strategy and proposal development support
Outcomes
Clearer policy alignment across jurisdictions
Stronger positioning for funding and partnerships
Improved coordination between education, industry, and government
Evidence-based approaches to complex intergovernmental challenges
We design and facilitate high-impact engagement processes that bring together governments, institutions, industry, and communities — including bilingual (English/Spanish) capacity where needed.
Key Offerings
Stakeholder mapping, consultation design, and facilitation
Public-private partnership (PPP) structuring and support
Community-government-institution bridging, with strong Indigenous partnership expertise
Bilingual campaigns and engagement strategies (English/Spanish)
Roundtables, summits, and multi-sector convening
Outcomes
Higher-quality input and buy-in from diverse stakeholders
More effective and trusted partnerships
Clearer pathways from engagement to implementation
Culturally appropriate and inclusive processes