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These partnerships not only help mitigate investment risks, but also empower Indigenous nations to become key economic players and reduce our reliance on volatile trade relationships with the U.S.

Through Indigenous-led economic development, Canada can enhance domestic supply chains, create sustainable employment opportunities, and drive reconciliation through economic inclusion.

A critical component for true partnership is enabling capital, especially with Indigenous Loan Guarantee (ILG) programs.

The transformative power of these programs is unmistakable. They have allowed First Nations to secure equity stakes in the major resource development and infrastructure projects that Canada needs, while enabling economic self-reliance and shared prosperity.

The Wataynikaneyap Power project in Ontario — a $1.35 billion transmission line — saw 22 First Nations become majority owners in collaboration with governments, with the option to attain full ownership over time.

In Alberta, 23 First Nation and Métis communities collectively acquired an 11.57% nonoperating interest in seven Enbridge-operated pipelines in the Athabasca region for $1.12 billion, with financing enabled by the province’s Indigenous Opportunities Corporation.

In Saskatchewan, the Indigenous Investment Finance Corporation was established in 2022 to enhance Indigenous equity ownership in major projects within the natural resource and value-added agriculture sectors. Ontario has also recognized this momentum and is acting boldly.

Recently, Premier Doug Ford announced the creation of a $3 billion First Nation Opportunities Financing Program, tripling the capacity of the province’s existing Aboriginal Loan Guarantee Program.

This initiative aims to enhance Indigenous participation in energy and resource development projects, ensuring that First Nations are not just consulted but have a true stake for generations to come.

The federal government recently launched a $5-billion Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program to support Indigenous groups in acquiring equity stakes in commercially viable projects within the natural resources and energy sectors. Liberal Leader Mark Carney has since pledged to double that to $10 billion. 

The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), through its Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative (ICII), offers low-cost, long-term loans to Indigenous infrastructure projects, blending public funding with private investment to expedite development.

The CIB’s Indigenous Equity Initiative (IEI) also provides loans to Indigenous communities to support the acquisition of equity stakes in infrastructure projects. These collaborative financing solutions aim to close infrastructure gaps and promote economic participation and benefits among Indigenous communities.

The Top 100 Projects list, published annually by ReNew Canada, showcases the most significant infrastructure investments happening across the country — projects that amount to hundreds of billions of dollars in value. Each one represents a potential vehicle for Indigenous participation through procurement, employment, and equity partnerships, if governments and industry are willing to prioritize it.

Canada’s long-term goal should be to empower Indigenous communities to have the ability to invest independently in major projects using returns from past investments.

In December 2024, using own-source revenues, Taykwa Tagamou Nation invested $20 million of its own capital in a convertible note, representing an 8.4 per cent equity interest in Canada Nickel, and securing them a seat on the company’s board.

This landmark agreement marks the largest known direct investment into a critical minerals mining project in Canada by a First Nation, setting a new standard for Indigenous participation in the mining sector.

The major resource and infrastructure developments that Canada needs to become more competitive require real Indigenous partnerships — not token benefits. Expanding loan guarantee programs is the fastest way to get there. 

Very simply, Indigenous equity partnerships result in a faster process, better projects and more effective outcomes. Expanding and replicating Indigenous loan guarantee programs across provinces will be a catalyst for Indigenous involvement in diverse sectors, from mining to agriculture.

At the same time, governments must use their procurement power to ensure that Indigenous businesses and communities are invited to bid and actively prioritized as partners across the project life cycle.

Investing in Indigenous equity partnerships will uphold our commitment to reconciliation and position Indigenous communities as co-architects of Canada’s economic future.

This is the moment to act to ensure that the rising tide of prosperity truly lifts all boats — and canoes.