Business in the North: Do Indigenous Entrepreneurs Have the Support They Need to Succeed?

Current supports and programs available to Indigenous entrepreneurs in Northern and remote Canada—though extensive and robust in many areas—do not always meet important needs. Programs are generally untargeted, and few focus on remote/fly-in communities, local and cultural needs, scaling up, or expanding to other markets. Indigenous entrepreneurs need several types of supports to be successful. These include opportunity analysis and early validation; different and creative funding options; and networks, role models, and mentors.

The inventory created in Business in the North: Do Indigenous Entrepreneurs Have the Support They Need to Succeed? categorizes the organizations, programs, and services available to Indigenous entrepreneurs in Canada’s Northern and remote communities. It was assembled to better understand what is being offered to Indigenous entrepreneurs operating in a unique and challenging context. Specifically, it was assembled to assess whether Indigenous entrepreneurs in these regions are getting the right supports, programs, and services for success.