Futurpreneur Is Leading the Way in Supporting Indigenous Entrepreneurs
Futurpreneur
Tania Amardeil
Futurpreneur has been fueling the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for over two decades. “We’re the only national non-profit organization that provides early-stage financing, mentorship, and business resources to aspiring entrepreneurs aged 18 to 39 so that they can launch successful businesses,” says Melissa Gladue, Business Development Manager, Indigenous Entrepeneur Startup Program at Futurpreneur.
Founded in 1996 as a way of giving Canadian youth the opportunity to realize their amazing business ideas and become their own bosses, since its inception the organization has supported over 17,700 diverse young entrepreneurs, helped launch over 13,900 businesses covering every province and territory, and provided over $200 million in capital alongside one-on-one mentorship.
Supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs
Recognizing the barriers faced by Indigenous businesses, Futurpreneur launched its Indigenous Entrepreneur Startup Program in 2019 to support Indigenous entrepreneurs specifically.
“Due to significant financial hurdles in accessing banking services
and capital, many Indigenous people turn to predatory lending institutions” says Gladue. “There is a lack of educational services in the ecosystem that address Indigenous financial resiliency. Futurpreneur is addressing this barrier with The Ohpikiwin Series, our Indigenous business and credit knowledge workshops. Other issues include discrimin ation and bias within institutions such as banks and education”
The team at Futurpreneur is commit ted to providing the necessary supports to address and overcome these barriers. “We have a dedicated team of eight Indigenous staff members who all have lived experience and a passion for helping Indigenous youth to thrive in the business world,” says Gladue. Providing peace of mind
The financing provided by Futurpreneur is up to $60,000 and collateral-free. The organization also provides resources and programs focused on financial empowerment and literacy, including templates for business plans and cash flow analysis. Futurpreneur’s internationally recognized mentoring program hand matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,600 volunteer mentors, ensuring they’re on the right path to success.
“It’s great to have peace of mind knowing that I can fund my business goals thanks to
We have a dedicated team of eight Indigenous staff members who all have lived experience and a passion for helping Indigenous youth to thrive in the
Futurpreneur,” says Oness. “What I wasn’t expecting was how incredible and valuable the mentorship would be. Now that I have the right people in my corner and the finances to back me, it feels like I no longer have barriers. Futurpreneur can change your life!”
Indigenous Procurement: A Fair Deal for All Canadians
CCAB's Supply Change™ initiative connects corporate Canada, governments, and Indigenous businesses to enhance Indigenous representation in supply chains.
Indigenous procurement is an important driver of economic reconciliation and development for Indigenous communities. For centuries, Indigenous peoples have provided goods and resources to help Canada grow, and that tradition continues today with more than 60,000 Indigenous businesses thriving and ready to compete in the global marketplace. We have made significant and meaningful progress and have seen the benefit to both Indigenous business and corporate Canada. However, Indigenous businesses remain underrepresented in the supply chains of most Canadian corporations and Governments.
As the recognized voice of Indigen-
ous business in Canada, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) introduced Supply Change™ in 2018, an Indigenous procurement strategy that looks for ways to strengthen connections between corporate Canada, governments and Indigenous businesses across the nation.
A large component of Supply Change™ is the Aboriginal Procurement Marketplace, whose members consist of corporate companies committed to enhancing Indigenous representation in their supply chains and currently over 1200 Certified Aboriginal Businesses. Supply Change™ has developed digital structures, resources and supports to create the conditions for success
where possible, while decreasing the socio-economic gaps that exist within many Indigenous communities.
The Government of Canada has also made important steps to increase federal procurement opportunities for Indigenous business across the country. In 2021, the Minister of Public Service and Procurement announced a mandatory requirement for all federal departments and agencies to direct a minimum of five per cent of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses. Indigenous Services Canada further pledged $35.2 million over five years to modernize the Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business.
At approximately $22 billion annually, the Government of Canada
is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the country. As such, even a modest change in the Government of Canada’s procurement practices will have enormous material benefits for Indigenous businesses and communities by supporting economic reconciliation.
Including Indigenous businesses in supply chains is one of the most important ways governments and industry can support Indigenous business. CCAB is committed to ensuring procurement and trade opportunities exist to foster a strong Indigenous economy—and greater prosperity for all Canadians.
PATHWAYS: Supporting Indigenous Communities in Achieving Better Health
A collaborative project between Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd., Bimaadzwin, and Indigenous health policy leaders working to transform Indigenous health outcomes across Canada.
Tania Amardeil
It has long been acknowledged that Canada’s Indigenous communities face health and wellness disparities compared to non-Indigenous populations, including dramatically reduced life expectancy and significantly higher rates of chronic conditions like diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These disparities are rooted in factors such as poverty, crowded and inadequate housing, food insecurity, unsanitary water, and inequitable health care access.
Addressing these disparities in Indigenous health and wellness should be a priority for Canada. It requires collaboration, innovation, and commitment between communities, the private, public and philanthropic groups, and government. And that’s exactly how Boehringer Ingelheim Canada is leading by example in funding health pilot projects as part of its PATHWAYS — Indigenous Health Collaborations commitment. It’s not just about the impact today, but the impact for generations to come.
Indigenous-informed and Indigenous-led PATHWAYS is a collaboration between a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim Canada, Bimaadzwin (an Indigenous-led consulting and policy group), and Indigenous health policy leaders from across Canada. Its creation was spurred to address the lack of formal Indigenous health policy in Canada.
“The PATHWAYS framework was developed in 2018 in order to advance collaboration between Indigenous communities, private, public and philanthropic groups, and government to address Indigenous health care disparities and promote wellness,” says Mehmood Alibhai, Head
of Government Affairs at Boehringer Ingelheim Canada. “The framework is an ethical, principled approach to engaging Indigenous communities in Indigenous community-led health care solutions.”
Using the framework as its guide, Boehringer Ingelheim Canada established an innovative health project fund to provide Indigenous communities with access to resources for community-driven health and wellness pilot projects to address type 2 diabetes, COPD, and interstitial lung disease.
“It’s critical to acknowledge that all the pilots we support are not linked to our medications ,” says Alibhai. “They must be devoid of any pharmaceutical and directed specifically at addressing the health care gap that the Indigenous community has identified.”
Empowering Indigenous communities
“Our mission is clear — we want to help close the health gap while focusing on relationship-building and a positive, sustainable future for all partners,” says Keith Leclaire, a Mohawk from the Kahnawake First Nation and Advisory Circle Chair for PATHWAYS. “We’re aiming to build relationships between communities, the private sector, and other partners through involvement in Indigenous-led health initiatives.”
In empowering the Indigenous communities to identify and address the health care issues most impacting them, PATHWAYS is effectively advancing the idea of health and wellness from an Indigenous lens. And so far, it’s working.
From improving diabetes care throughout the Nuu-chah-nulth Nations in B.C. to
We want to help close the health gap while focusing on relationship-building and a positive, sustainable future for all partners.
expanding the application of virtual health care technology for Maskwacis residents in Alberta and beyond, PATHWAYS’ first four pilot projects have had an impressive impact on the communities served.
“All of the initial sites rated their involvement with PATHWAYS as positive and requested to extend their partnership,” says Leclaire.
PATHWAYS has since added another four projects to its roster and has big plans for the future. “Our focus now is on scalability,” says Leclaire. “With sustainability being the ultimate goal.”
This article was sponsored by a leading research-based pharmaceutical company.
CN Committed to being a Top Employer for Indigenous Talent
CN continually works to be an employer of choice, looking at initiatives and programs to ensure Indigenous talent is growing at CN.
Tania Amardeil
For over 100 years, CN has connected communities across Canada and the U.S., moving the economy and enabling trade. From the generations of railroading families who have built its legacy to new employees who make up the fabric of a diverse, innovative, and evolving workforce, CN’s people are key to building the company’s sustainable and successful future.
An employer of choice
Delivering Responsibly is at the heart of how CN is building for a sustainable future. It means moving their customer’s goods safely and efficiently, being environmentally responsible, attracting and developing the best railroaders, helping build safer, stronger communities, while adhering to the highest governance standards. CN is committed to a diverse and
inclusive work environment — ensuring every employee is welcomed for their contribution and uniqueness — innovation, and talent development. CN provides industry-leading compensation, health, and benefits.
This makes the Company an employer of choice for a diverse range of team members, including Indigenous talent. “Some of the key factors that contribute to making CN a great place to work include career development, challenging and rewarding work, safety and well-being, competitive compensation and benefits, and diversity and inclusion,” says Landon Morrison, Supervisor of Mechanical Car Shop, Prince George, who has been with CN for 12 years and is a member of Liard River First Nation.
“CN also has programs and initiatives aimed at increasing Indigenous representation within its workforce, including targeted recruitment strategies, partnerships with Indigenous organizations, and training and development opportunities.”
Walking the talk
Sarah Favel, Senior Manager of Sustainability at CN, is just two months into her employment at the Company but echoes Morrison’s
sentiments. As a Status First Nation from Pound maker Cree Nation, she appreciates that the team at CN walks the talk.
“What’s clear when working at CN is that the company is committed to trying to understand its role in reconciliation and how it can best support Indigenous communities across its network,” says Favel. “When you have a diverse background, you want to work somewhere where you can see people living the values and that’s something CN has done a great job at — taking the values off the wall and putting them into practice.”
CN is currently hiring for a variety of roles, including in operations, IT, and corporate functions. It also offers rewarding internship roles, which are open to full-time students majoring in applicable fields who have completed at least one year in their program of choice.
At CN, you’ll find a dynamic, innovative, and diverse work environment where you can feel supported, grow to your full potential, and be recognized for your contribution.
Landon Morrison Supervisor, Mechanical Car Shop
Sarah Favel Senior Manager, Sustainability
How Mitacs is Powering Inclusive Innovation in Canada
Mitacs’s commitment to empowering Canadian innovation through effective partnerships includes a dedication to Indigenous innovation.
Tania Amardeil
For over 20 years, the Canadian non-profit Mitacs has assisted organizations in reaching their business goals, funded cutting-edge innovation, and created job opportunities for students and post-docs. Mitacs partners with research talent, organizations, and government to support innovation in a wide range of sectors and fields, everything from STEM to social innovation.
Mitacs believes that a successful and prosperous Canada is directly linked to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and accordingly is committed to supporting EDI. Mitacs’s Inclusive Innovation Action Plan (3IAP), a new initiative launched in 2023, provides a set of working goals and guidelines to empower and align teams across the organization in their work to promote inclusive innovation.
A commitment to EDI
a variety of industries,” says Plamondon. “We want to be at the forefront of driving EDI across different industries.”
Working together
Our commitment to EDI is part of our corporate values and core culture.
“Mitacs has a strong commitment to supporting EDI across the organization and also working with our partners in post-secondary institutions and industry to create more equitable access for a wide range of equity-deserving groups,” says David Plamondon, Senior Advisor of Indigenous Relations and Initiatives at Mitacs. Plamondon’s role focuses on helping address inequalities for Indigenous peoples in terms of accessing the research and innovation ecosystem, as well as guiding Mitacs through its journey in decolonization and being an active ally and actor in the Indigenous space.
EDI is an integral component of the organization’s mission. “Our commitment to EDI is part of our corporate values and core culture that we want to build in recognizing the value of having a diverse workforce, but also creating better access for students across
To facilitate this work, Mitacs recently launched a broad five-year strategic plan, which its shorter-term 3IAP complements. The plan introduces Mitacs’s ambitious EDI commitment, which encompasses the onboarding of a new team that includes Plamondon. Through various initiatives aimed at empowering Indigenous voices, Mitacs is having a powerful impact on Indigenous innovation, reducing barriers for Indigenous peoples, and creating opportunities for Indigenous talent to partner with the organization. One way includes Mitacs’s Indigenous Pathways initiative. This helps Indigenous businesses find the right academic talent to achieve their innovation goals via a strong financial commitment of 75 per cent co-funding. Mitacs is also focused on creating more capacity-building and awareness of opportunities for younger students, including through its partnership with Let’s Talk Science.
From formal partnerships with research talent and industry to more grassroots collaborations, including important part nerships with Pow Wow Pitch and the Yukon First Nations Chamber of Commerce, Mitacs’s focus is always on collaboration and mobilizing talent. “Through our partnerships, we’re aiming to help better serve the equity-deserving groups,” says Plamondon.
Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science Unite to Protect BC Caribou
By facilitating a three-day workshop, researcher Mateen Hassami brought together Splatsin Elders, council members, and community hunters together with federal and provincial government caribou experts, conservation officers, and academics to share traditional knowledge and learnings. The result was rich discussion of Indigenous knowledge, values, and future visions related to protecting caribou and the opportunity to share these insights with key decision makers.
Mitacs was the thread that wove us together and made the opportunity for discussion possible.
“Splatsin are leaders in caribou recovery, dedicated to the recovery of endangered caribou populations within their traditional territory so it’s important that their voice is heard at the table. Mitacs was the thread that wove us together and made the opportunity for discussion possible. They were integral in building an important linkage between an Indigenous community, a university, and a research institute,” says Hessami.
Mateen Hessami Wildlife Ecologist, Kelowna, BC David Plamondon
In 2023, when we signed the updated Self-Government Implementation Agreement with Canada, we ensured that it included a renewed commitment — this time legally binding — for Canada to introduce this legislation “as soon as possible” after the agreement was signed.
