Chana Martineau
Chief Executive Officer,
Alberta Indigenous
Opportunities Corporation
This year marked five years of AIOC. We took a moment to celebrate how far we've come, and to look ahead with excitement.
When we launched in 2019, we had a bold and hopeful mission: to support Indigenous prosperity by helping communities access capital for long-term, stable investments. Today, that vision is not only alive — it’s thriving.
In just five years, AIOC has supported nine investments totalling more than $745 million in loan guarantees, generating more than $1.4 billion in revenues back to Indigenous groups. These projects are creating real, lasting impacts through those generated revenues that support self-determination, strengthen partnerships, build capacity, and bring to life community-led projects that will benefit generations.
This year, we hit some incredible milestones together.
We opened our very first office on reserve — on Enoch Cree Nation. More than just a new location, this move reflects something deeper. It’s a step forward in our journey to embed our work in the communities we serve. Enoch is a central hub for Indigenous business in Alberta, and placing our operations here brings us closer to the people, the partnerships, and the opportunities that matter most. Being on Indigenous land grounds us in the relationships and realities that give meaning to our work.
We also proudly supported our first renewable energy project, a clear sign that First Nations and Métis groups are not only participating in traditional industries — they're leading in emerging ones too. Indigenous leadership must be at the heart of Canada’s energy future, and this project proves what’s possible when that happens.
We celebrated the continued success of the Wapiscanis Waseskwan Nipiy (WWN) Limited Partnership, which welcomed Bigstone Cree Nation as a new partner. The growth of this partnership shows what can be achieved through collaboration and trust between First Nations and Metis Settlements working together toward shared prosperity.
And this year, we deepened our leadership beyond Alberta’s borders.
We have actively worked with the federal program, and others, to assist them through their process of launching — from ideation and creation to implementation. Those conversations continue today, with both parties expressing a clear intention to align and stack our programs to maximize impact. We are in active discussions with the federal government and other provinces to develop a partnering framework that could be available for implementation later in 2025.
There are significant benefits to this inter-jurisdictional collaboration. It supports Indigenous groups in Alberta to unlock the lower federal cost of capital while reducing risk to the province by sharing larger project exposure across multiple jurisdictions. Alberta’s model has been used by the federal government as a foundation for their own program — a testament to our success, and a positive development that creates space under our $3 billion cap while extending our impact.
Each of these milestones reflects a truth we’ve known from the outset: when Indigenous communities have access to opportunity, they deliver. The challenge was never about lack of ambition or ability — it was about access. AIOC was created to bridge that gap, and we’re proud to be a trusted partner connecting communities, capital, and industry.
I want to extend my sincere thanks to our Board of Directors for their steady leadership, to our dedicated team for their commitment and care, and most importantly, to the First Nations and Métis groups who have trusted us to walk this journey with them. Your success is our purpose.
As we look ahead to the next five years, and beyond, one thing is clear: Indigenous prosperity is not merely an aspiration — it's a growing reality. We’re honoured to be part of this movement, and more inspired than ever by what’s next.
Hiy hiy.