By Ian Bickis Getting a business loan is both a foundation of economic growth and something Indigenous people have long faced barriers to access, but an emerging trend has First Nations flipping the script and becoming financiers themselves. Ventures like Cedar Leaf Capital, which opened shop last October, and First Nations Financial Markets that launched earlier this month, are both majority-Indigenous owned firms working their way into the capital-raising system. As investment dealers, they act as the go-between for companies and institutions trying to raise money and the investors who will ultimately buy the bonds or equity. Beyond making a profit for their First Nation owners, the firms are also aiming to build Indigenous capacity in the financial world, and form part of a wider push to reduce the barriers… <\/p>\n
By Ian Bickis Getting a business loan is both a foundation of economic growth and something Indigenous people have long faced barriers to access, but an emerging trend has First Nations flipping the script and becoming financiers themselves. Ventures like Cedar Leaf Capital, which opened shop last October, and First Nations Financial Markets that launched earlier this month, are both majority-Indigenous owned firms working their way into the capital-raising system. As investment dealers, they act as the go-between for companies and institutions trying to raise money and the investors who will ultimately buy the bonds or equity. Beyond making a profit for their First Nation owners, the firms are also aiming to build Indigenous capacity in the financial world, and form part of a wider push to reduce the barriers... <\/p>\n