Provincial working group suggests more can be done to support Indigenous entrepreneurs in Edmonton

A working group focused on how government can grow the Edmonton region's economy has released its findings, including a recommendation that government should reduce barriers for Indigenous entrepreneurs.

The Edmonton Metro Region Economic Recovery Working Group was formed last year with the aim of engaging businesses and organizations about how the province can help support and grow the region's economy.

It released its final report to government on Monday.

The report is not binding, so the provincial government has no obligation to follow the suggestions, but MLA Searle Turton, who chaired the working group, says Jobs, Economy and Northern Development Minister Brian Jean seemed very open to taking the recommendations seriously. 

"We have to digest this. Obviously, there's an election coming up as well but I'm hopeful that whoever is in that minister seat is going to be obviously giving a high degree of importance to making sure that many of these points can actually be taken advantage of and followed through on," Turton said in an interview Tuesday.

The report includes several recommendations about talent retention, investment attraction and marketing, downtown vibrancy and economic diversification.

One of the areas the report focused on was how to province could better support Indigenous entrepreneurs. Four actions items were suggested:

• Matching capital that Indigenous-run organizations provide to Indigenous entrepreneurs.
• Making $500 million accessible to communities, organizations, and companies while creating an Indigenous-led economic development and investment strategy.
• Creating a mandatory minimum requirement of Indigenous representation on Alberta government public agencies, boards, and commissions.
• Creating an Indigenous procurement policy for the government of Alberta. 

Turton says it was clear that there are missed opportunities.

"The Edmonton region could take advantage of and was well-situated to be able to take advantage of [this] to make sure that we can kind of become that hub for economic opportunities that are coming out of First Nations communities," he said.

Supports needed: Indigenous entrepreneurs

Norma Wolfchild, a Blackfoot woman from Blood Tribe, and Robyn Soulier-Ritchot, a First Nations Oji-Cree woman from Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, work at Business Link, a company dedicated to helping Indigenous entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground.

Both said the report is encouraging with strong recommendations and they hope the government implements the action items.

"One of the things I wanted to highlight is that it's great to see representation, so understanding that there is someone on this working group that understands Indigenous economy and entrepreneurship," Wolfchild said in an interview Wednesday. 

Soulier-Ritchot said the possibility of increased funding for Indigenous people to start businesses is exciting, but it would need to be easy to access. 

"Five hundred million, like wow. That's amazing ... But again, looking back on those policies and procedures that are in place and how are we going to make it attainable and applicable to people that they'll actually benefit from it and it's not just money sitting there?" Soulier-Ritchot said. 

Indigenous people trying to start businesses face barriers that other entrepreneurs don't, they said. 

"Being rural, so isolation is a huge barrier, which in turn [creates] transportation barriers. Access to financing, lack of infrastructure — even technology-wise, connectivity," Wolfchild said.

Both said Indigenous-specific supports are essential for starting businesses. 

"We have shared experiences so we know the struggles that entrepreneurs face, not only as a service provider but actually seeing businesses try to start, try to access programs [and] services, especially loans ... there's so many barriers," Wolfchild said.

Soulier-Ritchot said she remembers being in school for Indigenous social entrepreneurship and trying to find supports. 

"I'm really happy that I was able to find the right people at the right time, because it was very discouraging, because I'm just like, 'Where do I fit in, what am I going to do?'" she said. 

"When you see people such as yourself actually working and navigating through this sector, it's just empowering."