Our Roots: The Strategy That Started It All
For over 150 years, systemic federal policies intentionally excluded Indigenous peoples from fully participating in the Canadian economy. While the Truth and Reconciliation Commission highlighted the need for social and cultural healing and established a vital foundation for corporate engagement through Call to Action 92, Indigenous leaders recognized the need to vastly expand upon this critical piece by building a unified, national blueprint for true economic reconciliation.
In response, a historic coalition of national Indigenous organizations came together to draft the National Indigenous Economic Strategy (NIES). Built on the fundamental principle of “Nothing about us, without us,”the Strategy was launched in June 2022. It presented 107 Calls to Economic Prosperity, structured across four Strategic Pathways.
Our work is guided directly by the foundational visions set forth in the full Strategy for each of these pillars:
People
The capacity of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit is strengthened in order to provide world-class skills, knowledge, and leadership in Canadian and global economies. Indigenous Peoples are empowered to choose the distinct way they define, generate, and redistribute wealth.
Lands
Indigenous jurisdiction related to land is enshrined in the knowledge that the land was never ceded but rather intended to be shared and protected for future generations. Landmark court decisions, international law, and United Nations declarations are recognized and enacted into legislation. The land encompasses all elements, including water, air, and resources that lie on, above, and beneath the land. Economic reconciliation is attained when all land-related claims and issues are resolved.
Infrastructure
Leading-edge physical and institutional infrastructure and services are in place to ensure a prosperous Indigenous economy today and for future generations.
Finance
Indigenous Peoples and communities have the financial capital to achieve economic and social prosperity on their own terms.
Our Role: The Engine of Evolution and Inspiration
History has shown that in the digital age, strategic reports too often become static documents that languish in virtual archives or sit untouched in online folders once the initial launch has passed. To ensure the 107 Calls to Economic Prosperity are actively realized, the NIES required a permanent, supportive institutional home. That home is NIEPI.
By anchoring our institute at Canada’s premier Indigenous academic institution in Regina, we ensure that our work is deeply rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems and academic excellence.
Crucially, we recognize that the NIES is a dynamic, living framework. It was never intended to be a static endpoint. As tangible progress is achieved, certain objectives within the original Strategy will naturally conclude, while entirely new economic paradigms, technologies, and frontiers will emerge. NIEPI serves as the steward of this ongoing evolution. If the NIES is the blueprint for a prosperous future, NIEPI is the architect, ensuring the strategy continuously adapts and expands alongside our partners to meet the realities of the modern economy.
Our Mandate: What We Do
Operating as a premier applied research institute, data repository, and collaborative hub, we bridge the gap between Indigenous communities, Corporate Canada, and all levels of government. Our work is driven by four core pillars:
Innovative Research & Strategic Evolution
To ensure the NIES remains a living framework, it must be continuously expanded and built upon in collaboration with cross-sectoral partners. NIEPI spearheads rigorous research into innovative economic projects, pilot models, and emerging industries related to the Strategy. Through this applied research, we deepen the NIES over time, expanding its scope to keep Indigenous communities at the absolute vanguard of global economic advancement.
Showcasing Progress & Amplifying Success
We monitor the advancement of the Strategy through a fundamentally strength-based perspective. We actively document the positive, innovative work being done across the country to celebrate progress and momentum. By highlighting successful partnerships and initiatives, NIEPI serves as a beacon of good example. Our goal is to share these promising practices to inspire other organizations, showing them what is possible and encouraging them to implement the Strategy in their own unique ways to contribute however they can.
Indigenous Data Stewardship
For generations, macroeconomic data regarding Indigenous populations was extracted and controlled by outside institutions. We counteract this history by implementing Indigenous data governance principles across all our work. Approaching our relationship with information through a lens of stewardship, we maintain an ongoing dialogue with the academic community and Elders about the best ways to care for the Indigenous data we have, ensuring it is always respected, protected, and utilized to empower our communities.
Education & Indigenous Economic Leadership
Working alongside FNUniv, we are building the curricula to empower Indigenous youth and students, training the next generation of Indigenous entrepreneurs, economists, financial officers, and corporate leaders. We also provide collaborative capacity-building and executive education to help non-Indigenous corporate boards authentically integrate the NIES into their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and Reconciliation Action Plans.
Strategic Architects & Partners
The National Indigenous Economic Strategy (NIES) was conceptualized, authored, and brought to life by a historic coalition of national Indigenous organizations. We honour the guiding vision, dedication, and intellectual leadership of the Strategy’s Core Group- the Canadian Association of Native Development Officers, the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, Indigenous Works, the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association, and the National Indigenous Economic Development Board- who collaboratively drafted the blueprint for our shared prosperity.
Building upon this profound framework, the establishment and ongoing work of NIEPI is made possible through the generous support, vision, and partnership of the Mastercard Foundation and the McConnell Foundation. We thank them for their transformative investments in advancing Indigenous economic sovereignty.
Join Us in Building the Future
Economic reconciliation is not just an Indigenous issue; it is a Canadian imperative. Beyond the numbers, it is about self-determination, community well-being, and restoring our rightful place as economic leaders on our own lands.
At NIEPI, we are actively shaping a more inclusive and prosperous economic future for generations to come. Whether you are an Indigenous entrepreneur, a corporate executive, an academic researcher, or a policymaker, we invite you to engage with our work, partner with us on innovative research projects, and join us on the path to economic prosperity.