Available to all levels of government and the private sector, this directory helps Indigenous businesses pursue business opportunities.

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On this page

• What is the Indigenous Business Directory
• Register / Log In
• Who is eligible for the IBD
• Proof of eligibility
• Business ownership requirements for the IBD
• Factors to determine Indigenous ownership for the IBD

What is the Indigenous Business Directory

The Indigenous Business Directory (IBD) can help your business find opportunities, including federal contracts.

All levels of government and the private sector can search the public directory. It is the primary source we use to determine if there are Indigenous businesses available to fulfill federal contracts.

Having a business profile in the directory can increase your visibility and may provide additional business.

Your directory profile also confirms your eligibility to be considered for award of federal government contracts that are limited to competition under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business (PSIB).

Who is eligible for the IBD

To be listed on the IBD, a business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by Indigenous peoples. An Indigenous business can be:

• a band as defined by the Indian Act
• a sole proprietorship

• a limited company
• a co-operative
• a partnership
• a not-for-profit organization in which Indigenous persons have at least 51% ownership and control

• a joint venture consisting of 2 or more Indigenous businesses or an Indigenous business and a non-Indigenous business, provided that the Indigenous business or businesses have at least 51% ownership and control of the joint venture

Proof of eligibility

Business owners must be First Nations, Inuit or Métis and ordinarily resident in Canada.

Evidence considered for registration on the Indigenous Businesses Directory of being an Indigenous person includes, but is not limited to:

• Indian registration in Canada
• citizenship with the Manitoba Métis Federation, the Northwest Territory Métis Nation, or a Governing Member of the Métis National Council, including: the Métis Nation Saskatchewan; the Métis Nation of Alberta; the Métis Nation British Columbia and the Métis Nation of Ontario
• membership in an affiliate of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, or other recognized Indigenous organization in Canada
• acceptance as an Indigenous person by an established Indigenous community in Canada
• enrolment or entitlement to be enrolled pursuant to a comprehensive land claim agreement, or membership or entitlement to membership in a group with an accepted comprehensive claim

Evidence of being resident in Canada includes a provincial or territorial driver's license, a lease or other appropriate document.

Business ownership requirements for the IBD

Evidence of ownership and control of an Indigenous business or joint venture may include:

• incorporation documents
• shareholders' or members' register
• partnership agreements
• joint venture agreements
• business name registration
• banking arrangements
• governance documents
• minutes of meetings of board of directors and management committees
• other legal documents

Factors to determine Indigenous ownership for the IBD

Factors that may be considered in determining whether Indigenous persons have at least 51% ownership and control of an Indigenous business include:

• capital stock and equity accounts, such as preferred stock, convertible securities, classes of common stock, warrants and options
• dividend policy and payments
• existence of stock options to employees
• different treatment of equity transactions for corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, community organizations and cooperatives
• examination of charter documents, such as the corporate charter, partnership agreement, financial structure
• concentration of ownership or managerial control in partners, stockholders, officers trustees and directors based definition of duties
• principal occupations and employer of the officers and directors to determine who they represent, such as banker or vested ownerships
• minutes of directors meetings and stockholders meetings for significant decisions that affect operations and direction
• executive and employee compensation records for indication of level of efforts associated with position
• nature of the business in comparison with the type of contract being negotiated
• cash management practices, such as payment of dividends or preferred dividends in arrears
• tax returns to identify ownership and business history
• good will contribution or contributed asset valuation to examine and ascertain the fair market value of non-cash capital contributions
• contracts with owners, officers and employees to be fair and reasonable
• stockholder authority, such as appointments of officers, directors and auditors
• trust agreements made between parties to influence ownership and control decisions
• partnership and the allocation and distribution of net income, such as the provision for salaries, interest on capital and distribution share ratios
• litigation proceedings over ownership
• transfer pricing from non-Indigenous joint venture
• payment of management or administrative fees
• guarantees made by the Indigenous business
• collateral agreements