Some may be surprised by the enormous contributions Indigenous businesses are making to the Canadian economy. I am not. And we are just getting started.
Indigenous businesses contribute nearly $50 billion annually to Canada’s GDP, and there are more than 75,000 Indigenous-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in Canada.
As the rest of the country awakens not only to their ethical and moral responsibilities to economic reconciliation, but to the incredible business case for it as well, more organizations, corporations and all levels of government from municipal to federal, are finding ways to do business with Certified Aboriginal Businesses, a verification administered by CCAB.
As an organization, we are proudly bold. Whether it is the City of Calgary’s recent commitment to becoming a CCAB Supply Change Champion to demonstrate its intentionality in Indigenous procurement or the federal government implementing a 5% Indigenous procurement mandate, action is speaking louder than words for some. I would say for too few still, but we are seeing progress.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and CCAB recently released Sharing Prosperity: An Introduction to Building Relationships for Economic Reconciliation in Ontario. The resource is part of the Economic Reconciliation Initiative, a partnership between both organizations aimed at advancing economic reconciliation by building business capacity to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 92.
It offers practical guidance on building mutually beneficial relationships with Indigenous people, businesses, and communities, while addressing historical context, Indigenous rights, challenges facing Indigenous businesses, and meaningful opportunities for engagement.
Big or small, regardless of industry or geography, Indigenous procurement is always an option for purchasers who want it to be.
Whether a business needs printing projects completed, pipefitting services, safety gear or legal assistance, there is an Indigenous business to take that order and make that happen.
Economic reconciliation happens at the policy-level yes, but the proof is in the purchase orders. That’s all our responsibility.
Tabatha Bull
President and CEO of Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business
Tabatha is Anishinaabe, a proud member of Nipissing First Nation. Awarded CEO of the Year for 2022 by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Tabatha as CCAB’s president and CEO is committed to help rebuild and strengthen the path towards reconciliation and a prosperous Indigenous economy to benefit all Canadians. As an electrical engineer, Tabatha is committed to supporting Indigenous inclusion and diversity in Canada’s energy sector.
Serving the Indigenous community through CCAB’s commitment to support the Indigenous economy, Tabatha is an appointee to many boards, including the Dexterra Group, Wigwamen Inc., CN’s inaugural Indigenous Advisory Council, and Catalyst CEO advisory board in Canada to name a few.
Tabatha is dedicated to diversity and removing systematic barriers to improve opportunities for Indigenous business and women across all industry sectors.
