List of commitments made at the 5th edition of the Regional Economic Circle of Indigenous Peoples and Quebec

Here is the list of commitments that were made at the 5^th edition of the Regional Economic Circle, which was organized by the Conseil de la Nation Atikamekw and held on November 12, 13 and 14, 2024.

Be warned, the list is long! 🤩 The record for number of commitments for a Regional Economic Circle was broken with a total of 46 commitments!

 

Corporation de développement économique communautaire de Trois-Rivières jointly with Innovation et Développement économique Trois-Rivières

1. Appoint a person assigned to processing requests relating to Indigenous socioeconomic development and making it a priority.

 

First Peoples Innovation Centre

2. Create positions or offer internships specifically for Indigenous people.
3. Promote the hiring, integration and retention of Indigenous people, particularly youth and women.
4. Support the advancement and mobility of Indigenous employees in all sectors and levels of employment.
5. Offer training on the use of digital technology to Indigenous youth and women so that they can hold well-paid jobs.

 

Chambre de commerce de la Haute-Matawinie

6. Continue discussions and collaborative work to create economic development projects in partnership with the community of Manawan.

 

Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Manicouagan

Entrepreneurship:

7. Create a round table to promote the inclusion of Indigenous businesses in the Manicouagan regional economy.
8. Offer networking opportunities and visibility to Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs through local events.
9. Create a local mentoring program to support the launch and growth of Indigenous businesses.
10. Carry out Chambre activities in the community to increase networking opportunities between non-Indigenous and Indigenous businesses.

 Reconciliation:

11. Participate in or highlight celebrations or thematic days, weeks or months related to Indigenous peoples.
12. Support the creation of culturally adapted gathering places that are designed in collaboration with Indigenous peoples.
13. Provide employees, managers and members with training on the history and realities of Indigenous peoples, including residential schools and Indigenous rights.
14. Combat prejudice and eliminate discrimination to foster tolerance, understanding and good relations between Indigenous peoples and the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Manicouagan.

 

Commission de la construction du Québec

15. Implement the 24 measures of the Plan d’action de l’industrie de la construction pour l’inclusion des Premières Nations et des Inuit (construction industry action plan for the inclusion of First Nations and Inuit).

 

Coopérative de développement régional du Québec (CDRQ)

Housing:

16. Support affordable and culturally adapted social housing projects that are intended for certain targeted Indigenous groups (transitional housing, shelters for women and families, student housing, etc.) through a co-op model.

Entrepreneurship:

16. Develop partnerships to better support collective entrepreneurship among Indigenous entrepreneurs.
17. Participate in creating a round table to promote the inclusion of Indigenous businesses in the regional economy.
18. Support the development of Indigenous entrepreneurs’ capacities through training in the co-op model.
19. Offer networking opportunities and visibility to Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs as part of their local or regional events in the co-op model.
20. Develop tools to support acquisitions (the takeover or purchase of local businesses by Indigenous people) through the co-op model.

Tourism:

22. Continue collaboration with Indigenous Tourism Quebec as part of the Plan d’action secteurs stratégiques tourisme et loisir (PASTEL).

 

Énergir

23. Adopt an approach to relations and work with First Nations communities.
24. Adopt ambitious objectives for economic reconciliation and the development of relations with Indigenous communities in Quebec.

 

FTQ Construction

25. Fight against discrimination related to hiring and employment.
26. Promote and make vocational training for construction trades accessible to all throughout Quebec.
27. Provide union representation for Indigenous construction workers throughout Quebec.

 

Groupe Fransi de Baie-Comeau

28. Get closer to the communities, particularly with the business community/entrepreneurs.
29. Contribute to economic and workforce development.
30. Find concrete partnership opportunities.

 

Pomerleau

31. Offer four scholarships with an internship to First Nations students in four universities or colleges in Quebec.

 

Port de Baie-Comeau

32. Develop a partnership with the Innu community of Pessamit in the fields of tourism (international cruises) and economic development (co-investment and support for business projects of Indigenous companies).

 

Proaxion Côte-Nord

33. Adopt a policy for hiring Indigenous resources.
34. Collaborate more closely with the Indigenous peoples in our region in terms of service offerings and recruitment.
35. Analyze the possibility of creating an Innu co-enterprise within our consortium.
36. Continue the reconciliation discussions initiated with the Innu representatives of our region.

 

RBC Royal Bank, Indigenous Markets Team

37. Advise and support First Nations and Inuit councils, organizations and entrepreneurs in their efforts to facilitate access to financing.
38. Act as a trusted strategic advisor between the various partners and financial partners and thus find innovative solutions to simplify access to financing in our communities.

 

Réseau des SADC + CAE

39. Provide inclusive and equitable financing and support to women entrepreneurs combining with another occupation in the territories of the Flexiprêt pilot project for women.
40. Maintain regular communications with Indigenous communities about economic development in the territories of the Flexiprêt pilot project for women.

 

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (CTCS) for Quebec and Nunavut

41. Ensure that information on our international initiatives, missions and events, particularly those targeting Indigenous businesses, is communicated to interested Indigenous businesses and partners.
42. Ensure high-quality service delivery to export-ready Indigenous businesses.
43. Before February 1, 2025, include Indigenous businesses from Quebec that are interested and ready to export in the Répertoire des artistes et des créateurs autochtones et du Nord to promote their creations and products on international markets.

 

Scotiabank

As part of the implementation of its Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan:

44. Deliberately support, through a feasibility study, the economic self-determination and prosperity of Indigenous communities seeking access to capital.
45. Integrate Indigenous rights into business credit and commercial services activities through existing risk management policies and processes.

 

Waapihk Research

46. Support the decision-making power of Indigenous leaders by producing high-quality research reports for community leaders.

 

For information on the event itself, check out the Article “New records at the 5^th edition of the Regional Economic Circle of Indigenous Peoples and Quebec”.