Frequently Asked Questions

We were created by the government of Alberta in 2019 and operate at arm’s length. We are a crown corporation with a Board of Directors who are accountable to the Minister of Indigenous Relations.

• AIOC provides loan guarantees and capacity grants for First Nations, Metis Settlements and other Indigenous communities approved by a ministerial order.
• Industry and organizations that fall under our mandate.
• Government officials.
• Centers of Influence – banks, pension funds, lenders, lawyers, etc.

No. We provide a loan guarantee which is money backstopped by the Alberta government.

• AIOC does not lend any money.
• Start ups do not fall under our mandate due to our risk parameters.

A loan guarantee with the AIOC is $20 – $250+ million dollars to support Indigenous investment. A loan guarantee is money backstopped by the Government of Alberta to reduce the risk of investment and cost to borrow for Indigenous communities.

• A capacity grant is money tied to an approved loan guarantee. It is money that Indigenous communities use to access third party advice and expertise for the assessment and development of a potential project.
• There is $3 million per year awarded on a discretionary basis.
• It is money to be used for independent, third-party legal, technical, economic support.
• The purpose is for advisory, negotiation and closing.
• Does not need to be repaid.
• Is not applicable for the development of a business plan.

Applications for a loan guarantee may be submitted by a single Alberta-based Indigenous group or a consortium of Indigenous groups. In the case of a consortium, at least one Alberta-based Indigenous group must be included as a participating investor and Alberta-based indigenous ownership must constitute at least 25% of the total investment proposed by an Indigenous consortium. Projects within Canada are eligible for support. Projects outside of Alberta are required to benefit Alberta to be eligible.

Yes. We have a hard minimum of $20 million.

• First Nations, Metis Settlements.
• Other Indigenous communities with approval by Ministerial Order.

AIOC does not provide any funding. Capacity grants are tied to approved loan guarantees.

• The project is already built and has a positive operating track-record.
• If the project is under construction, costs are known and contractually fixed.
• Technologies used are well known and have been used extensively.
• Project revenues are predictable and secured by contracts with reputable and creditworthy counterparties.
• Project inputs or feedstocks are readily available, and costs are predictable and secured by contracts.
• Third party debt and equity investors are committed to support financing the project on similar terms.

No. This does not fall under our mandate.

• First Nations, Metis Settlements.
• Other Indigenous communities with approval by Ministerial Order.
• Economic development corps cannot apply for loan guarantees. They also cannot apply for a capacity grant directly, but the approved Indigenous groups with an approved loan guarantee can hire them with their approved capacity grant money.