Advancing Indigenous economic self-determination is a crucial part of the Government of Canada's commitment to supporting entrepreneurs across Canada and renewing the relationship with Indigenous Peoples. This means supporting the tens of thousands of Indigenous entrepreneurs and small businesses working to create jobs and opportunities in communities from coast to coast to coast.
Today, the Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business, alongside Jaime Battiste, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for Sydney-Victoria, and Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso, announced $2.5 million in federal funding to enhance the Indigenous Women's Entrepreneurship Program and create the Indigenous Youth Entrepreneurship Program.
Enhancements to the Indigenous Women's Entrepreneurship Program, to be delivered in partnership with the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA), will help further break down barriers for Indigenous women to start up and scale up their own businesses. This investment will help up to 2,400 Indigenous women entrepreneurs access the resources they need for their businesses.
The Indigenous Youth Entrepreneurship Program will expand leadership development opportunities for Indigenous youth entrepreneurs and help develop resources with the needs of young business owners in mind.
Canada is home to more than 50,000 Indigenous-owned businesses across this country that contribute billions to Canada's GDP annually. Supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs is not just the right thing to do; it's the smart thing to do, and the investments announced today will help more Indigenous women and youth succeed across the country.
