Strategic Partnerships Initiative
The Strategic Partnerships Initiative (SPI) helps government departments work together to support Indigenous participation in economic development opportunities.
Strategic Partnerships Initiative
The Strategic Partnerships Initiative (SPI) helps government departments work together to support Indigenous participation in economic development opportunities.
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What is the Strategic Partnerships Initiative
With an annual budget of $14.45 million, SPI brings together resources and partners to focus on shared goals and fill any gaps that existing programs can't cover.
SPI identifies priority opportunities for investment, guides project planning, and encourages federal departments to team up and work together. This helps create new partnerships and strengthens the government's role in supporting Indigenous economic growth.
Through SPI, partners collaborate to:
- Identify and develop business and economic opportunities
- Support initiatives from start to finish
- Share resources and expertise to advance initiatives
- Improve coordination and communication across federal departments
SPI initiatives span multiple years, benefit multiple communities, and support regional economic growth. Each initiative is led by a federal partner working with at least one other department.
Additional funding for clean energy projects
Until 2027, SPI has an additional $12 million annually to support regional clean energy initiatives that advance economic development opportunities within Indigenous communities across Canada.
ISC also partners with Natural Resources Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations Canada through Wah-ila-toos to help Indigenous, rural, and remote communities access federal clean energy funding and resources that support reducing diesel use. More details and funding information is available on the Wah-ila-toos website.
Who and what SPI supports
Eligible participants in the initiative include:
- Indigenous businesses, organizations, partnerships and joint ventures
- Indigenous communities and local governments
- academic institutions
- provinces and territories
SPI supports investments which foster economic development through activities related to:
- economic readiness
- economic infrastructure development
- businesses expansion and growth
- pre-feasibility and feasibility studies
- environmental diagnostics and evaluations
- community economic development planning
- workforce skills development and training
Explore recent initiatives supported by the Strategic Partnerships Initiative through government, industry and Indigenous partnerships.
How SPI works
Eligible recipients cannot apply directly for funding through SPI. Instead, federal partners work closely with Indigenous communities and partners to identify promising opportunities, which are reviewed and approved by an interdepartmental investment committee.
A single window approach
Indigenous economic development is supported by several federal departments. SPI helps align these efforts so communities can access support through a single, streamlined approach.
Instead of filling out multiple applications and dealing with different departments, communities can benefit from a single process to pursue an economic development opportunity. By encouraging collaboration across the federal government, SPI helps departments work together, share resources, and focus on the same priorities so communities spend less time on paperwork and more time on results.
For more information about SPI, and how we identify priority opportunities and partners to work with see our terms and conditions.
Federal partners
SPI is led by ISC and supported by a growing network of 23 federal partners, including:
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
- Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency
- Canada Economic Development for Québec Regions
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
- Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
- Employment and Social Development Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada
- Health Canada
- Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
- National Defence
- Natural Resources Canada
- Pacific Economic Development Canada
- Parks Canada
- Prairies Economic Development Canada
- Public Services and Procurement Canada
- Transport Canada
- Women and Gender Equality Canada
- Indigenous Services Canada
Contact us
For more information, please email the SPI Secretariat at IPS-SPI@sac-isc.gc.ca.
Strategic Partnerships Initiative Directorate
Economic Business Opportunities Branch
Indigenous Services Canada
10 rue Wellington
Gatineau QC K1A 0H4