Province partners with Siksika First Nation to bolster small businesses – Calgary Herald

June 26, 2015

Small businesses and the community in general at Siksika First Nation will be the winners in a new financial partnership between the reserve, the Alberta government and Indian Business Corp.

The three partners announced on Friday that Siksika, an hour east of Calgary, will contribute $2 million, the province will chip in another $700,000 and IBC, owned by all First Nations in Alberta, will oversee distribution of loans to create and develop business opportunities for members on and off the reserve.

“We have the willingness, the capacity and means to move forward in helping them develop their own economic entrepreneurship,” Siksika Chief Vincent Yellow Old Woman said at a news conference announcing the deal.

“With the province’s contribution, we’ll have $2.7 million available to our members. We want to energize our members, helping them in any way we can to make them see there is light at the end of the tunnel … in a tangible way. And the province is stepping up to the plate to give us the partnership we need.”

Read More: http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/province-partners-with-siksika-first-nation-to-bolster-small-businesses