BC – The B.C. Aboriginal Business and Investment Council (ABIC) has launched a new, updated website to make it easier to do business with First Nations companies and promote economic development among Aboriginal communities.
The website – www.bcabic.ca – can be accessed by smartphones and other handheld devices, allowing it to reach a larger audience and attract a younger population. The website features an updated resource centre, a collection of online links and tools that support Aboriginal economic development throughout British Columbia.
The updated site also includes the First Nations Economic Development Database (FNEDD), which has more than 1,200 businesses and potential business partners registered. The comprehensive database is the first of its kind, developed by ABIC in partnership with the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training to track a wide range of economic activities. As well, the new site includes videos and success stories highlighting the stories of First Nations businesses throughout the province.
The website update comes on the heels of ABIC renewing its mandate. ABIC’s mandate, to help increase Aboriginal participation in the economy by encouraging economic growth among First Nations communities, was renewed for two more years until Jan. 31, 2018. Eleven board members have been reappointed, including Chief Councillor Ellis Ross of the Haisla First Nation, who is chair of the ABIC board.
In addition, ABIC is welcoming two new board members: Obie Erickson and Willie Sellars. Erickson is president of Canadian operations for Britco, one of North America’s largest modular construction companies, which has several First Nations business partnerships. Sellars, a member of the Williams Lake Indian Band (WLIB) of the Secwepemc Nation, is also the special projects coordinator in the WLIB Economic Development Department.
As outlined in the BC Jobs Plan, the Province is committed to working with Aboriginal peoples and First Nations to strengthen communities and share in the growth of the provincial economy.
