Alliance of Resource Communities (ARC)

What is ARC?

The Alliance of Resource Communities (ARC) is a network of B.C. mayors and local leaders working together to advocate for responsible natural resource development – forestry, mining, energy, agriculture, seafood and more – as the backbone of jobs, services and family incomes in communities across the province.

ARC was launched in September 2025 at the “Get it Done” conference hosted by Resource Works, where mayors from across B.C. came together to push for a more secure economic future for their residents through resource jobs. The “Get it Done” agenda and conference was covered by a number of prominent media publications, including in an op-ed by the Vancouver Sun.

Why ARC now?

Families in many B.C. communities are facing falling living standards and deep uncertainty, especially where local economies depend on resource industries. At the same time, sluggish growth, rising deficits and aggressive U.S. tariffs on B.C. resources are putting paycheques and municipal revenues at risk.

ARC’s founding mayors argue that B.C. cannot afford to put up internal barriers when the world needs our metals, minerals, energy, lumber, agricultural and seafood products, manufactured and value-added goods, and other exports – and when those industries largely “pay the bills” for health care, education and core public services.

Who’s involved?

ARC brings together mayors and councillors from resource communities across the province – from coastal ports like Prince Rupert and Campbell River, to energy and forestry towns in the Northeast and Interior, to urban centres that host head offices, logistics hubs and white-collar resource workers.

ARC’s priorities and calls to action

ARC’s work is organized around five core calls to action endorsed by its founding mayors:

Effective, coordinated government action in support of natural resource industries facing external economic threats.
Faster approvals for responsible natural resource projects.
Greater First Nations economic participation in resource development.
Stronger “can-do” advocacy from all levels of government for responsible resource development.
Early, active involvement of local governments and First Nations in major projects – from the beginning, not as an afterthought.

To advance these calls to action, ARC focuses on:

Benefits for member communities

For participating municipalities, ARC is designed as a practical “shared service” that adds capacity local governments often don’t have in-house:

Stronger voice at decision-making tables – coordinated advocacy to Victoria and Ottawa on permitting, infrastructure, and sector priorities.
Policy and communications tools – turnkey resolutions, policy submissions, media pitches, newsletters, op-eds, panel speaking opportunities, and digital content that are done for each municipal leader.
Public information support – co-branded economic impact reports and modern public information campaigns explaining to the broader public how local jobs, tax revenue and services depend on resource projects. These campaigns also communicate specifically to municipal residents the advocacy work that their Mayor has been doing to defend local natural resource jobs, investment, and economic prosperity.
Community engagement capacity – turnkey town hall kits, briefing decks and talking points for constructive dialogue with residents and Indigenous partners.
Professional development – issue briefings, summits and site tours (LNG facilities, logging and sawmill operations, mines, aquaculture, farms and ranches) to keep leaders current on resource and infrastructure topics.

Overall, ARC’s objective is to raise awareness of the contributions of resource communities, foster collaboration between urban and rural B.C., and ensure local leaders are at the economic planning tables of provincial and federal governments.

Benefits for sponsors and partners

For industry and other sponsors, ARC offers a way to support credible, community-based leadership rather than a traditional lobbying vehicle:

Tangible public affairs deliverables – such as localized economic impact reports, public information campaigns and co-branded videos that municipalities can share with residents.
Efficient, coordinated engagement – a single platform to work with multiple mayors and councils across key regions, rather than fragmented one-off efforts.
Reputational value and social licence – association with a mayors’ alliance focused on responsible development, economic reconciliation with First Nations, and environmental stewardship.
Visibility and recognition – acknowledgment in ARC reports, events, training sessions and potential “Resource Ready” or similar municipal leadership designations and awards programs.

For more information Learn more or sign up for updates at allianceofresourcecommunities.ca or by emailing info@allianceofresourcecommunities.ca