Elusive

“When we start our life as an entrepreneur, when we have a dream, financial institutions don't know us: it's extremely difficult to get approval from the banks,” explained Josée Leblanc, owner of Atikuss, during the Grand cercle économique des Peuples autochtone et du Québec held in November 2021. The invitation was extended to business people and elected officials to find ways together to ensure the inclusion and full participation of Indigenous populations in the Quebec economy.

But the reality is sometimes far from good intentions. "The challenge of getting financing is definitely there. In reality, we are still considered the children of the Queen, under the supervision of the Department of Indian Affairs," confirms Mélanie Paul, who joined the family business Groupe ADL (now Granules LG) twenty years ago, where he was vice-president for about ten years. My father started his businesses and showed that it was possible. A pioneer, he was one of the first Aboriginals to run a Desjardins caisse and to take the cause of financing for First Nations people further. We move forward one step at a time."

According to the Indian Act (which dates back to 1876), an Aboriginal person cannot take out a mortgage or put up his assets as collateral to borrow money for his business. He has no property rights and property located on a reserve is unseizable. It is easy to understand why financial institutions have remained cautious. Without economic leverage, access to credit has been blocked. And mobilizing a full sum means a lot of money frozen in collateral before you can even operate.

Advocacy for flexible financing

To get around the problem of security and financing, band councils have implemented various solutions, such as forming limited partnerships or acting as the lender's representative. Thus, institutions such as the Business Development Bank of Canada negotiate tripartite agreements with the contractor and the band council, which can seize the assets if necessary. Others have chosen to take the economy out of politics; this is what Mélanie Paul's father wanted to do for his community of Mashteuiatsh by contributing to the creation of Economic Development Corporations, similar to the Local Development Centre (CLD). Others have Chambers of Commerce, such as the one in Sept-Îles-Uashat.

“Communities are structured differently,” explains Ms. Paul. “Each one has different political, economic and social realities.” And Ms. Labelle adds: “We need to have flexible funding policies to be able to adapt to the different needs of these clienteles.”

Partnerships to be useful and relevant

“We don’t claim to be experts in Indigenous communities,” she continues. “There are more than fifty communities, some of which are isolated. That’s why we choose to establish partnerships with local organizations that are familiar with the realities on the ground, including SOCCA and the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Economic Development Commission . It’s through them that we can better understand their challenges, improve our access to financing policies and adapt our support services. We have a sincere desire to make ourselves accessible, useful and relevant.”

Evol is building relationships with the Indigenous business community, a long-term effort that requires vision and tenacity, of which she is humbly aware. This co-creation also excites the president of Inukshuk Synergie and Akua Nature. Creating alliances is at the heart of the motivation of the woman who is also the co-founder of Mocassins et talons hauts, an initiative to promote successful models of Indigenous women entrepreneurs across the province. “Because we have images of strong and positive women; because we are much more than a fashion or a momentum in Quebec politics and society.”