The Industry Council for Aboriginal Business (ICAB) has just launched an online platform to connect aboriginal and non-aboriginal businesses.
The just-launched platform, the BC Aboriginal Business Association (BCABA) Marketplace, looks to connect aboriginal suppliers with business opportunities. It also provides various support services to aboriginal businesses.
Brenda Ireland, CEO of ICAB, said the platform will connect industry and aboriginal businesses to capitalize on contract opportunities.
“Many companies are committed to contracting aboriginal suppliers but face challenges finding those businesses,” she said. “At the same time, aboriginal suppliers who could fill those contracts have difficulty learning about the opportunities.”
According to the ICAB, the aboriginal business owner and entrepreneur sector is growing at five times the rate of self-employed Canadians, but the sector faces challenges accessing contract opportunities and resource services.
ICAB said the new online platform is tackling those problems by:
- compiling a list of B.C. aboriginal companies into a central business directory; and
- providing support services to aboriginal businesses, such as a resource centre with templates to create business-related plans and policy manuals.
Any aboriginal business can register in the BCABA Business directory free of charge and research potential opportunities. Non-aboriginal businesses can view approximately 700 aboriginal businesses from a wide range of sectors by region and post contract opportunities.
To learn more about the tool or register for membership, aboriginal and non-aboriginal business owners and companies can visit www.icab.ca.
