On June 3, the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Economic Development Commission (FNQLEDC) presented the Nikanewin Bursaries at its 6th annual virtual ceremony, allowing everyone to participate regardless of distance.
This year, thanks to the continued support of Hydro-Québec, we were able to award 10 bursaries of $2,500 each, for a total of $25,000. The FNQLEDC also awarded two additional $2,500-bursaries to young Indigenous entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35, bringing the total amount awarded to $30,000 for this year’s edition.
We are very proud to announce the 12 recipients, who were selected from over 60 applications received from 21 communities and 8 First Nations. Choosing the winners was no easy task, given the high quality and diversity of the projects. These applications demonstrate once again the strength of the First Nations’ entrepreneurial spirit.
Recipients of the Hydro-Québec bursaries
As you can see, the projects come from a wide variety of sectors, ranging from restaurants and specialized services to wellness and culture. Here are the twelve recipients who each received a $2,500 bursary:
Kelly Chachai, Opitciwan – Pastry shop and café
Passionate about the art of baking, Kelly wants to open a pastry shop and café in her community to offer a warm and welcoming space where people can enjoy homemade treats, while also creating local jobs.
Monik Kistabish, Pikogan – Magazine for Indigenous women
Monik wants to launch a magazine that will highlight Indigenous women from different nations, while sharing their stories, perspectives, and wisdom. She hopes to present this magazine to all communities, even across Canada and internationally.
Laurie Deer, Kahnawake – Wellness and natural products
Her company creates and sells magnesium-based wellness products. The products are handcrafted in small batches using carefully selected ingredients to ensure their quality, consistency, and effectiveness for daily use.
Rylie Martin, Listuguj – Commercial, residential, and industrial painting
Rylie aims to launch a painting services business serving the commercial, residential, and industrial sectors to offer quality services in her community and surrounding areas.
Joyce Dominique, Pessamit – Language services
With her expertise in languages, Joyce aspires to create a language services business to support the revitalization and promotion of Indigenous languages by offering translation, simultaneous interpretation, and writing services.
Marsha Mathias Rodgers, Winneway Long Point – Food truck
Marsha plans to establish a food truck offering delicious and affordable cuisine, thereby providing a mobile dining option in her community and at regional events.
Robyn Vicaire, Listuguj – Kinesiology
Her project aims to offer individual kinesiology sessions, as well as workshops on physical health and ergonomics in the workplace. Her services will be adapted to the realities of First Nations communities, with an emphasis on prevention, physical well-being, and personalized support.
Eve Ringuette, Uashat mak Mani-Utenam – Massage therapy
Eve wants to establish a clinic offering therapeutic massage, orthotherapy, and touch therapies. Her treatments will combine contemporary techniques with cultural sensitivity.
Julie Charland, Pessamit – Products with Innu-inspired designs
Julie wants to create a line of personalized products featuring traditional Innu designs, contributing to the visibility and transmission of Innu culture through everyday items.
Magalie St-Amour, Kitigan Zibi – Financial security
Magalie wants to offer financial security advisory services that are tailored to the realities of First Nations, to support individuals and families in better financial planning.
Bradley Mianscum, Nemaska – Finance
Bradley plans to create an accounting services business offering bookkeeping, full-service accounting, and part-time financial management services. All of this will be offered based on a model that is adapted to the needs of First Nations people with a view to sustainable economic development.
James Young, Kahnawake – Christmas tree farm
James wants to develop a Christmas tree farm, an innovative project that combines agriculture, seasonal commerce, and job creation in his community.
We would like to express our sincerest congratulations to all the recipients of this 6th edition. We hope this bursary will be a springboard for the realization of your projects and that it will allow you to confidently transition from idea to action.
To all applicants who were not selected this year, we encourage you to reapply next year. Your project has value, and we are here to support you.
Finally, we wish to remind all participants, regardless of whether they received a bursary, that they can benefit from the support of the FNQLEDC’s entrepreneurship advisors and officers during the various stages of their project development, such as for business planning, making financial projections, or seeking funding.
Do you have a business idea and need help bringing it to fruition? If so, then don’t hesitate to contact our team of entrepreneurship advisors and officers!
