The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) has recently announced its latest investment in Yukon. A funding of $200,000 has been granted to Inspire Reconciliation Potential (IRP), a small Yukon-based First Nation women-owned business that focuses on supporting reconciliation initiatives across the territory. The funding aims to support the growth and expansion of IRP’s Reconciliation Business Centre, a commercial, multi-tenant hub created for Indigenous businesses and organizations to collaborate, share knowledge, and mentor other organizations with similar mandates.
The Reconciliation Business Centre, led by IRP Property Developments Inc., is a revenue-generating commercial space created to support the growth of IRP Consulting. The business aims to contribute to local economic growth and job creation by providing accessible, culturally-relevant space to further reconciliation, indigenization, and self-determination in the North. The facility features office rental opportunities, ceremony-friendly event spaces, and meeting areas, and will be available to businesses, organizations, and individuals advancing reconciliation initiatives across the territory.
This repayable funding contribution delivered through the Inclusive Diversification and Economic Advancement in the North (IDEANorth) program supports the details that make the building culturally-appropriate and safe, making it attractive to potential leaseholders and renters prioritizing these details when seeking space to advance reconciliation initiatives.
This investment supports Indigenous economic development and reconciliation, accelerating the participation of northern Indigenous communities and businesses in economic opportunities across the territories. This initiative ensures the Reconciliation Business Centre is culturally-appropriate and safe, meeting the needs of potential clients and customers. As per the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, PrairiesCan and CanNor, the investment represents an opportunity for the growth and expansion of an Indigenous, women-owned small business while also advancing reconciliation efforts across Yukon.
The Reconciliation Business Centre represents an important entrepreneurial milestone for IRP Consulting, a women- and First Nation-owned business, which will lead to continued growth and success. It is essential to have community-focused and mandate-driven working spaces like the Reconciliation Business Centre to support collaboration and innovation. The Reconciliation Business Centre is a hub where Indigenous businesses and organizations can come together to collaborate, share knowledge, and seek guidance, and this investment is a crucial step to advancing Indigenous-led reconciliation initiatives in Canada.
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