About the Project

Learn more about our project background, process, objectives, and impacts.

Background

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released their comprehensive 6-volume final report outlining 94 “calls to action” that were identified to further the path to reconciliation between Canadians and Indigenous peoples

Several calls to action speak to education and more specifically, highlight the need for Indigenous voices to become part of the mainstream curriculum

To realize this recommendation, there is a need for engaging content widely accessible to educators in a breadth of studies

Our Process

  1. Working alongside our partners at the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, we sought the participation of Indigenous Businesses from a variety of sectors and geographic locations across Canada

  2. The research team worked to curate questions to help identify key themes within each business model and sector to showcase the business from inception to present day, and to highlight the successes, opportunities, challenges, and learnings

  3. The interview process was conducted virtually via Zoom while COVID-19 health restrictions were in place, and in-person when the opportunity arose

  4. Case studies were written with students and educators in mind 

Case Study Targets

From 2020-2023 of this Research Project, our goals include:

15+

Case Studies

6+

Provinces and Territories

12+

Business Sectors

Our Objectives

  • Hand making a ripple in water

    Short Term Objectives

    • Generate awareness of CCAB’s membership and the importance of Indigenous economic development in Canada

    • Examine best practices of Indigenous economic development through case studies of successful ventures, partnerships, and models of effective stakeholder engagement

    • Explore various models for engaging Indigenous Canadians in economic development through case studies and analysis

    • Provide open educational resources that can be used by other educational institutions to generate awareness of the barriers and challenges faced by Indigenous businesses

  • Looking up at a tall tree

    Long Term Objectives

    • Challenge perceptions of Indigenous economic prosperity and promote decolonization through positive stories and engaging content

    • Fill an informational gap with regard to Indigenous entrepreneurs, businesses, and economic development in Canada

    • Inspire Indigenous students to explore business careers through positive role modeling

    • Develop a catalogue of relevant resources that teachers and professors can use in the classroom

Our Impacts

  • Hands held together

    Social Impact

    • Supporting local business by helping to raise their profile in the community while highlighting their success stories

    • Showcasing diverse representation in our economy by highlighting the presence of Indigenous entrepreneurs and fostering sector growth by presenting aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs with inspirational role models and opportunities

    • Underscoring through these stories, the significant impact of economic development in contributing to wider issues of poverty alleviation, self-esteem, and social purpose

  • A stack of books

    Educational Impact

    • Supporting educators with current, relevant, accessible, inclusive content

    • Developing new curriculum content that both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students can access that showcases engaging business cases using real-life examples