What Australian Indigenous need to know about Canada

27 Aug, 2026

To explore export opportunities, capability-building programs and future Indigenous trade missions, visit Supply Nation and Austrade's Indigenous Export Hub.

As global supply chains evolve, Australia’s Indigenous businesses have an opportunity to look beyond traditional export pathways and towards markets where shared values create commercial advantage. Canada is one of those markets.

Following the recent Indigenous Trade Mission to Canada, led by Supply Nation and Austrade, and supported by the Accessing New Markets Initiative (ANMI), one message emerged consistently from Indigenous business leaders across government, industry and finance: the future of Indigenous trade will be built on trusted relationships, complementary strengths and long-term collaboration—not one-off transactions.

For aspiring Indigenous exporters, Canada offers more than market access. It offers a blueprint for how Indigenous businesses can become increasingly influential participants in global trade.

Kate Russell, CEO of Supply Nation, says the strong response to the trade mission reflects both the growing maturity of Australia’s Indigenous business sector and the natural alignment between the two countries.

“This reflects a mature, developed market for Australian Indigenous businesses and their products and services, but also a recognition of shared values and potential for collaboration with Canada’s First Nations owned businesses. Collaboration between Australian and Canadian Indigenous businesses is always front of mind.”

Austrade’s Melanie Harris, Head of Indigenous Engagement and Export, believes Australia and Canada are uniquely positioned to strengthen Indigenous trade because both countries have mature and growing Indigenous business ecosystems supported by procurement policies, strong advocacy and globally ambitious entrepreneurs.

The opportunity, Harris says, extends beyond exports. It includes knowledge exchange, cultural diplomacy, reciprocal investment and Indigenous-led innovation.

Building partnerships before pursuing contracts

For Cassandra Dorrington, President and CEO of the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC), those relationships have been developing for years.

CAMSC, which connects Indigenous and diverse businesses with corporate and government supply chains across Canada, has worked alongside Supply Nation since its establishment. Today, Dorrington sees international Indigenous and inclusive trade as the next evolution.

Rather than focusing solely on major contracts, CAMSC helps businesses develop the capability to compete. Sometimes that means facilitating partnerships between Indigenous and diverse-owned businesses themselves—encouraging joint ventures, strengthening capacity and positioning companies for future procurement opportunities.

“It’s about building businesses that are ready,” she explains.

Canada is also entering a significant period of investment across defence, infrastructure, clean energy, natural resources and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Dorrington believes Indigenous businesses should be positioned to participate from the outset.

Looking further ahead, she sees the continued growth and impact for GSDA (Global Supplier Diversity Alliance) as it connects organisations across Australia, Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand, South Africa, Brazil and beyond—creating internationally recognised pathways for Indigenous and diverse businesses over the coming decades.

Learn more about CAMSC and its supplier diversity programs.

Shared values create shared opportunity

Those ambitions resonate strongly with JP Gladu, Founder and Principal of Mokwateh, an Indigenous advisory firm helping governments, corporations and First Nations align economic development with Indigenous priorities.

Having worked closely with Australian organisations for almost a decade, Gladu believes the relationship between Australia and Canada is built on far more than similar markets.

“We share a care for land, a desire to strengthen our communities through business and a genuine commitment to building relationships.”

Canada’s constitutional recognition of Indigenous rights, combined with stronger consultation, Indigenous ownership and participation in major projects, has helped shift many relationships from conflict towards collaboration.

Today, Indigenous Nations increasingly participate as suppliers, employers, investors and owners across sectors including energy, mining, forestry, finance, tourism, agriculture and infrastructure.

With an estimated trillion-dollar infrastructure pipeline ahead in Canada, Gladu believes Indigenous businesses around the world have an unprecedented opportunity to collaborate.

“If we get this right, First Nations across Canada will be importing goods and services from Indigenous brothers and sisters around the world who share our values—and vice versa.”

His advice to Australian businesses is refreshingly practical: research the market, engage with trusted Indigenous organisations, attend industry events, communicate consistently and follow through.

Strong Indigenous businesses also require access to finance.

For more than 35 years, the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA) has supported Indigenous entrepreneurship through a network of more than 50 Indigenous Financial Institutions across Canada.

Together, those institutions have delivered more than CAD$3.6 billion in financing to over 54,500 Indigenous small and medium enterprises.

According to Mark Dokis, Project Manager at NACCA, that investment has created a strong pipeline of Indigenous businesses now preparing to compete for larger procurement opportunities.

Australia and Canada, he suggests, each bring different strengths.

Australia has become internationally recognised for supplier diversity through organisations such as Supply Nation. Canada has built sophisticated Indigenous financial institutions and investment mechanisms that continue strengthening Indigenous business capability.

Neither model is complete on its own. Together, they provide valuable lessons for both countries.

Dokis also encourages Australian exporters to approach Canada strategically.

Success requires careful market research, understanding regional differences, identifying where demand exists and ensuring products or services can scale commercially across a geographically diverse country.

Equally important is engaging Indigenous communities and organisations early. Partnerships built after commercial decisions have already been made rarely deliver lasting outcomes.

The next chapter of Indigenous trade

Across every conversation during the trade mission, one theme remained constant: the future belongs to structured collaboration.

Harris believes the next step is moving beyond introductions towards reciprocal trade missions, Indigenous-led business showcases, sector-specific partnerships and stronger business-to-business matchmaking.

Together, these initiatives can help Indigenous businesses build export confidence, share practical experience and develop products and services for global markets.

The long-term opportunity is even more significant.

Russell believes today’s partnerships can lay the foundations for a broader global Indigenous trading network.

“There is significant potential for strategic partnerships between Australian and Canadian businesses, particularly in delivering services in third markets where Indigenous knowledge, engagement and interests are central to success,” she says.

That vision points towards a global Indigenous trade architecture linking organisations across Australia, Canada and other Indigenous economies—sharing policy, strengthening capability, facilitating investment and creating new pathways for Indigenous businesses to compete internationally.

For Australia’s next generation of Indigenous exporters, Canada is more than an attractive market.

It is a trusted partner, a source of practical lessons and an opportunity to help shape a global Indigenous economy where culture, Country, commerce and community reinforce one another.

The future of Indigenous trade will not be built by chance. It will be built by businesses willing to invest in relationships, embrace shared learning and create prosperity that benefits communities on both sides of the Pacific.

To explore export opportunities, capability-building programs and future Indigenous trade missions, visit Supply Nation and Austrade’s Indigenous Export Hub.