Introduction
Entrepreneurship has always been a vital part of Métis culture. From the earliest days of trade and craftsmanship to today’s growing number of Métis-owned businesses across the province, building a livelihood has been a way for Métis families to preserve identity, foster independence, and shape the future.
The Métis Financial Corporation (MFC) exists to support that vision.
We are not just a service provider, we are partners in progress. Our work is deeply rooted in culture, family, and the belief that when Métis individuals thrive, entire communities are lifted. Whether it’s helping someone apply for Indigenous business funding, guiding a first-time business owner through the planning process, or connecting a youth with their first mentor, we’re here to empower Métis entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.
A Cultural and Community-Driven Mission
MFC was founded with a clear purpose: to walk alongside Métis families and support their self-determined futures. We know that success doesn’t look the same for everyone, and that’s exactly why our services are flexible, culturally grounded, and trauma-informed.
For us, Métis business development is more than economic programming. It’s a vehicle for self-sufficiency. It’s a way to reclaim narratives and build community strength. It’s a statement that Métis individuals have every right, and every ability, to chart their own course.
In our work across British Columbia, we’ve witnessed the transformation that comes when a Métis person is supported not only financially, but emotionally and culturally. We serve single parents, Elders returning to their roots, young adults stepping into leadership, and community leaders ready to scale their impact.
Métis Entrepreneurs in British Columbia: A Landscape of Opportunity and Barriers
British Columbia is home to more than 90,000 Métis people, and across the province, we see a growing desire for economic self-determination. But while the spirit of entrepreneurship is strong, so are the barriers.
Many Métis individuals, especially those in the more remote regions, face challenges accessing capital, securing mentorship, and navigating systems that were not designed with Indigenous people in mind.
Common obstacles include:
- Limited access to culturally safe financial institutions
- Lack of awareness about Métis-specific funding programs
- Geographic isolation from business resources or training
- A history of systemic exclusion from economic opportunities
- Difficulties balancing entrepreneurship with caregiving or community responsibilities
This is where MFC steps in. We exist to close these gaps with tailored, respectful, and deeply informed support.
What Métis Entrepreneur Support Looks Like in Practice
When Métis individuals connect with MFC for business support, they’re not handed a generic checklist or a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, they enter into a relationship. We start with listening. We learn what drives you, where you’re coming from, and what kind of legacy you want to create.
From there, we help Métis entrepreneurs with a wide range of services, including:
- Finding and applying for Indigenous business funding through local, provincial, and federal sources
- Building business plans and feasibility studies
- Setting achievable, personalized goals for growth or sustainability
- Navigating licensing, registrations, and other legal requirements
- Accessing coaching, workshops, or mentorship from other Métis business leaders
- Connecting with trusted professionals, accountants, graphic designers, lenders, who understand Indigenous business needs
For those launching new ventures, we often provide step-by-step support through the entire process, from that first brainstorm to securing your first client.
For existing business owners, we help with expansion strategies, succession planning, and new market opportunities.
Fostering Métis Women Entrepreneurs
One of the areas we are especially passionate about is uplifting Métis women entrepreneurs. Women in our communities often carry multiple roles: caretakers, cultural keepers, community leaders. When a Métis woman steps into entrepreneurship, she is not just creating income, she’s carving space for future generations to see themselves in leadership.
Our main goal for when the program reopens is to ensure that business support doesn’t add to the weight women already carry, but instead helps lift it.
Building a Culture of Confidence Through Business
Too often, Métis individuals are told to “start small”, to play it safe or ask for less. At MFC, we challenge that mindset.
We don’t just prepare people for the minimum; we prepare them to thrive. That means saying yes to big ideas. Yes to bold branding. Yes to charging what you’re worth. Yes to telling your story in a way that honors your culture and vision.
When we support Métis entrepreneurs, we’re also nurturing a culture of confidence. That confidence ripples out into families, into youth watching their parents succeed, into communities proud to buy from and support each other.
It’s a quiet kind of revolution, and we’re here for every step of it.
Stories That Inspire: Real Impact, Real People
One of the best parts of our work is witnessing transformation. A few of the stories that stay with us:
- A young Métis man in the trades who, with our help, launched his own contracting company. Today, he employs three others and offers apprenticeships to local Métis youth.
- A grandmother in the Okanagan Valley who began selling traditional beadwork online to supplement her income, now her small shop ships across Canada.
- A Métis artist in Kelowna who combined digital design and traditional motifs to start a branding agency that serves Indigenous-owned businesses.
These stories aren’t just inspiring, they are proof that when Métis people are given equitable tools and support, they lead, innovate, and give back in powerful ways.
Looking Forward: A Stronger Métis Economy for All
The future we’re building at MFC isn’t just one where a few businesses succeed. It’s one where Métis economic self-determination is a collective norm, where we see Métis-owned businesses in every sector, in every region, and at every scale.
Our work doesn’t end with one business plan or one loan. We’re committed to long-term partnerships.
To creating safe spaces where ideas can grow.
To reshaping the narrative of what Métis success looks like, and who gets to define it.
Let’s Build That Future Together
Whether you’re at the start of your entrepreneurial journey or already on the path, MFC is here to walk beside you.
📌 Learn more about our mission and values on our About page
📌 Ready to explore your options or speak with our team? Contact us today
We’d be honoured to support your story, your vision, and your future in business.
