Introduction
Métis women are shaping the economic and cultural landscape of British Columbia with creativity, resilience, and leadership. At MFC, we believe in the power of entrepreneurship to strengthen Métis communities, and we proudly support that vision.
The MWE Program is more than a funding opportunity. It is a gateway to ownership, empowerment, and transformation — for individuals, families, and entire communities. Entrepreneurship for Métis women is not just about starting businesses; it’s about reclaiming space, building intergenerational wealth, and creating culturally grounded futures.
Why Métis Women Entrepreneurs Are Key to Stronger Communities
Métis women have long been community builders, knowledge keepers, and innovators. Yet for generations, systemic barriers have limited their access to economic opportunities. Entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful tools to reverse that trend, allowing Métis women to create businesses rooted in their values, cultures, and visions for the future.
When Métis women succeed in business:
- Families grow stronger through improved incomes and wealth-building opportunities
- Communities benefit from culturally relevant services, products, and leadership
- Youth are inspired by role models who reflect their identities and histories
- Cultural pride deepens as Indigenous businesses thrive visibly in every sector
Entrepreneurship allows Métis women to lead with strength and purpose, supporting not only themselves but entire networks of people around them.
Understanding the Métis Women’s Entrepreneur Program
The Métis Women’s Entrepreneur Program is being created by MFC to directly address the challenges Métis women face in accessing capital, mentorship, and business education. Our goal is to make entrepreneurship accessible, achievable, and sustainable for any Métis woman with a dream.
MFC’s approach is holistic. We know that launching and running a business requires more than funding — it requires knowledge, confidence, relationships, and community support. MWE is designed to offer all of those pillars.
Currently, the MWE Program is preparing for an exciting relaunch, aimed at expanding access and adding even more resources to help Métis women succeed.
Overcoming Barriers: Why Dedicated Support Matters
Despite their talents and determination, Métis women often face unique challenges when entering the business world.
Access to Capital:
Mainstream lending institutions may require credit histories or collateral that first-time entrepreneurs simply do not have.
Limited Business Education:
Many entrepreneurs start with passion but limited formal business knowledge..
Smaller Networks:
Without access to professional networks or mentors, navigating early business challenges can feel isolating.
Balancing Responsibilities:
Many Métis women juggle entrepreneurship with caregiving, cultural leadership, and community commitments.
By acknowledging and addressing these barriers, the MWE Program empowers Métis women to move forward with clarity and confidence.
Building Confidence Through Business Ownership
Entrepreneurship is about more than earning income — it’s about building confidence, leadership skills, and resilience.
When Métis women launch businesses, they experience the pride of seeing their ideas take shape in the real world. They develop new competencies in finance, marketing, negotiation, and strategy. They build relationships with suppliers, clients, and partners.
Perhaps most importantly, they begin to see themselves — and be seen by others — as leaders and change-makers.
Ownership transforms self-perception, which in turn transforms communities. As Métis women step into entrepreneurial leadership, they inspire others to envision bigger possibilities for their own futures.
Success Stories in the Making
Across British Columbia, Métis women entrepreneurs are already making their mark in industries ranging from arts and design to construction, retail, consulting, and health services.
Consider a Métis artist launching a design studio that weaves Métis floral beadwork into contemporary fashion. Or a Métis tech founder building software that makes Indigenous languages more accessible. Or a Métis health coach offering culturally informed wellness programs for Indigenous families.
Each story, each business, each new venture creates ripples of impact — strengthening culture, creating jobs, building wealth, and fostering pride.
Entrepreneurship as a Pathway to Economic Reconciliation
Economic reconciliation means more than acknowledging past injustices. It means actively building systems where Indigenous people can thrive on their own terms.
Supporting Métis women entrepreneurs is an essential part of economic reconciliation. It provides tangible opportunities to transfer wealth, decision-making power, and leadership back into Indigenous hands.
Through programs like MWE, MFC is contributing to a future where Métis women can not only participate in the economy but shape it — ensuring it reflects values of equity, respect, innovation, and community care.
The Future Is Métis: Join the Movement
At MFC, we believe the future of entrepreneurship in British Columbia is increasingly Métis — and increasingly female. Métis women have always been innovators, builders, and leaders. With access to the right resources, there is no limit to what they can achieve.
If you are a Métis woman with a dream of starting or growing your own business, we encourage you to reach out.
Together, we can create a future where Métis women entrepreneurs stand tall, lead boldly, and inspire generations to come.
Your journey starts today. If you want to have input in our upcoming women’s program, please Contact MFC to learn more about how we are rebuilding our women’s program.
