Google Canada Partners with Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business
Google Canada has announced a $1.5 million commitment to Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) to support Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs across the country.
One million of the support will go towards cash grants and CCAB memberships for Indigenous businesses and the redevelopment of CCAB's Tools and Financing for Aboriginal Business (TFAB) platform. Google will also provide CCAB with $500,000 of donated Search ads to reach a broader audience, promote their programs and share research with the public.
There are close to 60,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit owned businesses in Canada, contributing over $30 billion annually to Canada's GDP. By 2025, the contribution is expected to be over $100 billion. However, Indigenous businesses have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to CCAB research, over half of Indigenous businesses reported declined revenues with many closing temporarily and almost half having to lay off staff. As the Indigenous economy recovers from the impact of COVID-19, the report points to financial assistance, business digitization, and developing eCommerce skills and digital marketing as key areas of need.
"Working with Google Canada to help close the digital divide means more opportunities for Indigenous businesses and communities," said CCAB President and CEO, Tabatha Bull.
"We commend Google's commitment of cash grants and support for the redevelopment of our TFAB platform to increase participation for Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs in the digital skills-based economy."
The $1.5 million grant and in-kind support from Google.org to CCAB will establish new programs that directly address the needs of Indigenous businesses identified through CCAB research. CCAB will offer cash grants and CCAB memberships to Indigenous businesses over the next year, while investing in re-building the Tools and Financing for Aboriginal Business (TFAB) platform to provide new training and resources to Indigenous entrepreneurs over the next two years. In addition, Google will offer CCAB donated ads to promote programs and the new TFAB platform through Google Search advertising. Indigenous-owned marketing agency, Jelly Marketing, will help support CCAB's digital marketing campaign.
"Over the past 8 months, we've worked with CCAB to understand the growth obstacles Indigenous-owned businesses face and discuss how we could partner together to grow the Indigenous digital economy," says Sabrina Geremia, VP & Country Director, Google Canada. "Guided by CCAB's research, our support will be used by CCAB to address some of the most pressing needs of Indigenous businesses in Canada, with the goal of building a more resilient and inclusive economy."
