'This will open doors': Sask. tribal council creates partnership with Regina Chamber of Commerce

The Regina and District Chamber of Commerce and FHQ Developments have signed an agreement focused on increasing Indigenous participation in the local economy.
FHQ Developments is owned by the 11 First Nations of the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council. The agreement was signed at the Queensbury Convention Centre on Jan. 25.
The new agreement will focus on creating networking opportunities to guide and educate young, Indigenous people with the hope that they will pursue careers in business.
According to Statistics Canada, the Indigenous population across the nation increased by almost 10 per cent from 2016 to 2021.
In the face of this growth in population, both organizations hope the agreement will lead to more Indigenous business opportunities.
“I think this will open doors and help people decide whether they want to be an entrepreneur or continue to work in the job they have,” Tony Playter, CEO of the Regina and District Chamber of Commerce told CTV News.
“So we’re going to be able to provide them tools and access to people that have walked that path already.”
“Those relationships help to continue to build on the growth and understanding of the Indigenous business ecosystem, and all the supports that are needed to better support our entrepreneurs or our nation owned businesses,” Thomas Benjoe, president and CEO of FHQ Developments, explained.
The two groups plan to develop a Regina Indigenous business directory as part of the agreement.
The Regina and District Chamber of Commerce represents more than 1,200 member businesses in and around the Queen City.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
11 injured after city bus crashes into daycare in Montreal suburb Laval, driver arrested
Nine people were seriously injured after a Laval city bus crashed into a daycare Wednesday morning, according to first responders. The driver of the bus has been arrested, according to Quebec Public Security Minister Francois Bonnardel.

How much Canadians have fallen behind amid high inflation and who's hurting the most
Inflation has eroded purchasing power for many Canadians, but the experience with rapidly rising prices has been far from uniform.
Awkward moment or conscious message? Political experts weigh in on Danielle Smith-Justin Trudeau handshake
An 'awkward' attempt at a handshake between Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the prime minister Tuesday is another example of leaders from the western province hesitating before shaking Justin Trudeau's hand, say political experts.
A Conservative government would uphold federal-provincial health-care funding deals: Poilievre
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says that if he becomes prime minister he would uphold the 10-year deals Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is looking to ink with provinces and territories that would inject $46.2 billion in new funding into Canada's strained health-care systems.
Hope fading as deaths in Turkiye, Syria quake pass 11,000
With the hope of finding survivors fading, stretched rescue teams in Turkiye and Syria searched Wednesday for signs of life in the rubble of thousands of buildings toppled by a catastrophic earthquake. The confirmed death toll from the world's deadliest quake in more than a decade passed 11,000.
'Crypto king' associate operated parallel Ponzi scheme while living lavish lifestyle, court documents allege
An associate of Ontario’s self-described “crypto king” was operating his own fraud scam parallel to the multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme, court documents allege.
opinion | Tom Mulcair: This is why the federal health-care proposal is so disappointing
Justin Trudeau has thrown in the towel in the fight to maintain the federal role as gatekeeper of a public, universal, accessible and fair health-care system in Canada, writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca. 'That could have tragic consequences for folks on the lower rungs of the social and economic ladder.'
opinion | Before you do your taxes, take note of these tax credits and deductions you may not have known about
Many Canadians are experiencing strains caused by the increased cost of living and inflation. In his exclusive column for CTVNews.ca, contributor Christopher Liew shares some of the top credits and deductions that you may be able to claim on your income tax return to help you save money.
Beetles barking up the wrong tree: Canada's boreal forests dying
Fir trees are under attack in the British Columbia interior, where severe drought and heat are putting forests at risk due to bark beetles.