Sask. Indigenous businesses providing positive impact

Indigenous business is on the rise across Canada "Indigenous business is going to become and has already started being a key driver in the Canadian marketplace." Willy said.

Indigenous Manufacturing and Contracting Network (IMCN) has been working to connect Indigenous-owned businesses in the manufacturing and contracting sector to non-Indigenous industries.

“I’ve always heard growing up and throughout my career ‘we have to hire Indigenous,'” said IMCN executive director, Nick Crighton. “There is an interest from industry and Government to do Indigenous engagement on a large scale.”

IMCN works as a middleman, connecting larger corporations and governments looking to diversify their portfolios with Indigenous business.

“We want to try and point them in the right direction and give them the opportunities to build sustainable, long-term partnerships because that’s what a lot of our indigenous communities are looking for,” Crighton said.

He says Indigenous businesses face a lot of challenges.  Crighton is hoping IMCN can be an advocate for businesses who aren’t invited to the ‘dance floor’.  He wants those businesses to have the same access to capital and equity, loans to get their ideas afloat and more help from financial institutions so the business can progress.

“Indigenous economic groups are popping up a lot faster than non-Indigenous groups over the last 7-10 years.”

He highlighted other barriers too. Businesses situated in isolated or northern communities lack proper infrastructure to grow. Issues with clean drinking water and no roads can create hurdles.  Some companies looking to expand into reserves also have hard times with contacting the right people and a lack of networking.

Access to the Indigenous labor force, connectivity for some communities and educating society on Indigenous history and peoples was also on the list of challenges.