CCIB and BDL Launch New Tracker to Measure Real and Ongoing Impact of Indigenous Businesses

TORONTO, ON, May 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB), in collaboration with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Data Lab (BDL), has launched the Indigenous Business Insights Tracker, an interactive dashboard providing a clearer picture of the impactful role Indigenous entrepreneurs play in the Canadian economy.

Hosted on CCIB’s website, the co-branded tracker enables businesses, policymakers and communities to visualize Indigenous business data. Featuring information on Indigenous entrepreneurship and economic trends, the tracker provides actionable insights for a demographic historically underserved by traditional data reporting.

"Indigenous businesses are now engaged in every sector of the Canadian economy, and as a national voice of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit business, CCIB welcomes the collaboration with the Business Data Lab to show how Indigenous businesses can contribute to major projects and international trade,” said Matthew Foss, VP Research & Public Policy, CCIB. “It’s important that we measure this progress and strengthen the evidence base on Indigenous economic performance. By doing so, we can continue to tell the stories of Indigenous participation, highlighting the success stories alongside the remaining obstacles.”

The tracker explores demographic distribution and provides business outlooks, including anticipated obstacles. It also shows a detailed overview of trade activity, such as the value of cross-border sales and purchases and the expected impact of tariffs.

“At the Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab, our focus is on democratizing access to high-quality economic data so organizations can better understand the economy and make informed decisions,” said Patrick Gill, VP, Business Data Lab, Canadian Chamber of Commerce. “This collaboration with CCIB is another example of our mission in action — equipping Indigenous partners with the tools and insights they need to tell their own stories and showcase the growing role of Indigenous businesses in Canada’s economy at a time of heightened trade uncertainty, major project development, and economic change.”

Updated quarterly, the tracker aims to highlight the growing footprint of Indigenous businesses in Canada.

“This work helps close important data gaps on Indigenous business activity and trade,” said Jasleen Kaur Trehan, Economist, Business Data Lab, Canadian Chamber of Commerce. “By combining Statistics Canada data with insights from Indigenous businesses, the dashboard provides a sharper, more nuanced picture of how Indigenous entrepreneurs are navigating trade pressures and where opportunities exist to support continued growth. At a time of heightened uncertainty, having access to this kind of granular, community-informed data isn't just useful, it's essential.”

To begin exploring the tracker, visit CCIB’s website.

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About Canadian Council for Indigenous Business

CCIB is committed to the full participation of Indigenous Peoples in Canada’s economy. As a national, non-partisan association, its mission is to promote, strengthen and enhance a prosperous Indigenous economy through the fostering of business relationships, opportunities, and awareness. CCIB offers knowledge, resources, and programs to its members to cultivate economic opportunities for Indigenous peoples and businesses across Canada. For more information, visit www.ccib.ca.

About the Business Data Lab (BDL)   

Turning the overwhelming amount of economic data out there into actionable insights is a challenge for many organizations. That’s why the Business Data Lab (BDL), launched in February 2022 by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, provides free tools and real-time insights that help organizations understand Canada’s economy as it is now and as it could be in the future. With support from Statistics Canada and funding from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, BDL strives to ensure that rapid economic change and shifting business dynamics don’t leave Canada’s decision-makers behind. BDL is democratizing data on Canadian business conditions. By providing future-focused, real-time, and local insights, we help organizations better understand and navigate the Canadian economy.  

Chris Overton
Canadian Council for Indigenous Business
416.961.8663 ext. 828
coverton@ccib.ca

Shane Mackenzie
Canadian Chamber of Commerce
613.302.7683
smackenzie@chamber.ca

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