Boozhoo, members.
The recent and gruesome Kamloops discovery has been a raw reminder of the devastating impacts of colonialism on our communities, both historically and up to the present day. It has challenged our will to celebrate anything during this Indigenous History month and we anticipate further grief ahead as a much overdue investigation of Residential School sites is properly undertaken. We at the Anishnawbe Business Professional Association hope your families and communities find ways to come together in comfort and support, and to also share hope for a better future built on our continued strength and resilience through which we have endured to this day.
The ABPA was founded on principles of advocacy, inclusion, opportunity, and growth. We know that Indigenous business and Indigenous organizations are growing and thriving, and we know that the following years are going to bring increasing opportunities in equity ownership and economic leadership in our territories. We believe this is worth celebrating, and that we aren’t the only ones looking for news about our communities that is inspirational.
We invite you to join us on Tuesday, June 22nd to hear the voices and celebrate the success of Indigenous entrepreneurs and industry leaders. At our Blueprints for Economic Empowerment, we’ll be discussing the importance of sustainable development, entrepreneurship, community ownership, and meaningful partnership that can be a blueprint for communities and organizations to model for future development and prosperity. You can read more about this event in the newsletter below, and register at www.abpa.live/p2ip2.
We wish all our members, Indigenous and ally, that your families and communities enjoy this weekend’s Niibin (Summer) Solstice.
Chi-Miigwetch,
Jason
Welcome to Tamarack Mining! Tamarack Mining Services is a Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) serving the mining industry. They support their mining members by pooling purchasing power to negotiate volume discounts and provide supply chain innovation and efficiencies. Mining suppliers working with Tamarack benefit from the opportunity to access new markets, achieve lower cost to sales, and establish reliable demand.
Our next Pathways to Indigenous Prosperity Web Series is being held on June 22nd, from 1:30PM (ET) to 3:00PM (ET). Blueprints for Economic Empowerment will be focused on Indigenous entrepreneurship and stories of success. We will be hearing from four outstanding speakers. Tina Sheriden of CreeQuest Corp, Wayne Ross of Coral Rapids Power, Jason Batise of Wabun Tribal Council, and Shannon Metatawabin of the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA) will have a discussion facilitated by ABPA Director Jason Rasevych on the importance of Indigenous ownership, sustainable development, and planning for future success that we know will benefit not only our First Nations members and audience, but our Non-First Nations allies and neighbors who will be our colleagues and partners in Industry. Join us on Tuesday to hear from Indigenous voices and industry leaders as they share their stories and the lessons they learned. You can find all the details at our event page, or register today —->
COVID-19 Rapid Screening Initiative Available through Ontario Chambers
Submitted by the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce
Rapid testing is one of the key ways to keep workplaces as safe as possible during the pandemic as we wait for vaccinations to roll out. It will be an essential part of curbing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities so that we can get on the path to economic recovery faster. The COVID-19 Rapid Screening Initiative will provide free rapid antigen tests for employees of small and medium-sized businesses. The tests will be distributed through participating local chambers of commerce and boards of trade in Ontario. Businesses (including non-chamber members) with 150 employees or less are welcome to participate in this program. The goal of the program is to identify asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 in the workplace that might otherwise be missed, helping to curb the spread in the workplace, at home and around the community. To order rapid tests for SMES in your community, click here for a list of participating Chambers that you can contact to order test kits for your business.
A “Clear Path” to Success for Greenstone Gold Mines
“For our First Nations to truly benefit from mining, our people need to be the ones building and working at Greenstone Gold Mines. This community-based training program is designed to get our people ready for employment with a focus on skilled trades, work placements and apprenticeships through culturally appropriate training.” – Joe Donio, President, Minodahmun Development LP
Member Minodahmun Development LP is celebrating excellent news for our northern Communities. Minodahmun is an Ojibwe word, meaning “a clear path”. Read the full story at NetNewsLedger.com
Memorandum of Agreement Signed by Thunder bay CEDC and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Ontario
On June 6, 2021, the Indigenous Tourism Association of Ontario (ITO) and the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) with Tourism Thunder Bay signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support the growth of indigenous tourism in the Northwest region. The MOU will see both organizations work together in efforts to establish Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario as a global hub for Indigenous education, business best practices, and the continuation of efforts to build strong Indigenous partnerships within the industry.
Indigenous Success Spotlight! Miigwetch to Growcer for sharing this opportunity to ask Norway House Cree Nation anything and learn from their experience growing produce in their community year round. For the past two years, this northern Manitoba community has been growing fresh produce using a hydroponic container garden. Watch what the Life Gardens project looks like today, and submit questions to be answered by the team in an exclusive follow up video. Click the photo above for a link to the project and how to submit.
Sociable Thunder Bay and the Thunder Bay and District Entrepreneur Centre have teamed up to present a series of webinars for businesses to help take their social media game to the next level. This five part series covers topics such as content planning, social media channels, branding, social media planning and measuring metrics.
Municipal Accommodation Tax Fund Applications Open
The Community Economic Development Commission Municipal Accommodation Tax Fund (CEDC MAT Fund) consists of tax revenues collected annually by the City of Thunder Bay through the administration of the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT).
The MAT is levied on short-term hotel, motel and other commercial establishment stays in the City of Thunder Bay, at a rate of 4%. The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) utilizes 50% of this tax revenue to support continued tourism growth by providing funding through two funding streams, events and products.
For more information or to apply, click below:
Member organization Growcer is looking for a senior leader with experience in Indigenous relations and business development to join their team and lead Indigenous initiatives. Growcer works with over a dozen First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities on year-round food projects. This is a perfect opportunity for a motivated and experienced leader to have a profound impact with Nations from coast to coast. Candidates who identify as Indigenous are highly encouraged to apply, and flexible work arrangements are offered. You can find the details and application information below.
An opportunity from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative! Pass along to your networks and communities, it’s always good to see programs supporting Indigenous youth.
For Your Interest
Looking for som Ec Dev news for your afternoon coffee?
Enjoy this roundup of recent articles and news pieces from our region and network
Do you have upcoming news, events, or something to share with the network? Email us for inclusion in the next newsletter.
We provide information sessions and networking events targeting relevant topics and projects for business expansion in Northern Ontario.
We develop best practices for major First Nations development projects and non-First Nations businesses related to procurement policies and human resource polices focused on inclusion.
Members will be the first to know about special discounts on all events and access to new programs for doing business in Northern Ontario
Members will have better access to economic buyers and key decision makers in Northern Ontario through our business directory and special events and conferences.
We try to keep an ear to the ground, but Indigenous enterprise is a thriving, growing economy, and there’s always new voices to hear and new faces to see.
If there is something or someone you would want to see in a seminar, workshop, or networking event, we invite you to get in touch. Feel welcome to pitch us a topic, nominate a speaker, or simply tell us what’s important to you. Let us know…
Would you like to see your name and logo featured for our Anishnawbe Business Professionals community? Sponsor our newsletter. Your name, logo, description of services and contact information will be distributed to our membership and all our social media channels. If your Business or Organization would like to sponsor a future Newsletter, reach out to us at info@anishnawbebusiness.com.
Ch-Miigwetch for your support for Indigenous Business!