Follow the money

1 min read · December 12, 2025
New Power Labs

In 2023, the federal government awarded $1 billion in contracts to Indigenous businesses. 

That figure signals progress, but where does the money actually go?

The Investigative Journalism Foundation found that more than 60% of these contracts stayed in the capital region, nearly all focused on IT consulting. Provinces with larger Indigenous populations including Manitoba, B.C., Saskatchewan and Alberta receive disproportionately fewer contracts.

Proximity to the source of capital is often a determining factor in access to capital. A former civil servant and member of the Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation, Veldon Coburn, commented that it is easier for officials to meet targets by buying in the Ottawa area. 

The data shows that the government has met its target, but perhaps not the intended impact.

Progress deepens when we see and fund those beyond our immediate line of sight.

Narinder
New Power Labs

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