New $16 Million Partnership Strengthens Indigenous-Led Entrepreneurship and Business Education Across Canada

CALGARY, AB, Oct. 27, 2025 /CNW/ - Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) and three Indigenous institutes -- Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, and Six Nations Polytechnic -- have launched a historic partnership to strengthen Indigenous-led entrepreneurship and business education across Canada.

With a US $12 million (approximately CA $16 million) commitment from the BHP Foundation, the initiative known as Mamawi brings together CICan and the three Indigenous institutes in a partnership grounded in Indigenous leadership and ways of knowing and being. A Governing Circle representing these four partners will oversee its direction and impact.

The partners will work together to expand training, mentorship, and applied-research opportunities to improve economic and social outcomes to support Indigenous learners and communities. Together they will create tools to equip Indigenous learners and entrepreneurs to build and strengthen skills, start ventures, and generate meaningful employment while growing an innovative Indigenous entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports long-term, community-driven prosperity.

The partnership will also strengthen Indigenous institutes' capacity to design and deliver programming, broaden supports such as access to Elders, Knowledge Holders, and childcare, and promote innovative learning models--including land-based and flexible approaches that improve learner retention.

The first national Indigenous-led initiative delivered through CICan, Mamawi represents an important step toward advancing meaningful reconciliation through new approaches and partnership. Its impact will extend across Canada's network of public colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, and polytechnics. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous institutions alike will benefit from stronger community partnerships and enriched programming.

Canadian employers and the financial sector will gain access to a more diverse and skilled talent pool, making businesses more resilient, supporting economic growth, and contributing to tangible progress on economic reconciliation.

The partnership was officially celebrated on Sunday, October 26, during the 2025 National Indigenous Education Symposium in Calgary, grounded in traditional ceremony(s) and protocols.

Read the full release with partner quotes: https://www.collegesinstitutes.ca/news-release/new-16-million-partnership-strengthens-indigenous-led-entrepreneurship-and-business-education-across-canada/

Quotes provided by Dr. John Chenoweth (NVIT), Riel Bellegarde (SIIT), Rebecca Jamieson (SNP), Pari Johnston (CICan), and Kristen Ray (BHP Foundation).

SOURCE Colleges and Institutes Canada

Media Contacts: Colleges and Institutes Canada, Matthew Smith, [email protected]; BHP Foundation, Laura Clifton-Jones, [email protected]