Aboriginal Business Canada (ABC) provides financial assistance, resource material, information, and referrals to alternative sources of financing or business support to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit businesses. Clients must be individuals of Canadian Indian (on or off-reserve), Métis or Inuit heritage, or majority-owned Aboriginal organizations or development corporations.

The initiative also works in partnership with Aboriginal financial and business organizations, and with a range of other agencies, boards and departments on initiatives that help strengthen business skills and promote greater awareness of Aboriginal business achievement.

What’s available online for clients?

Information services:

Information about the program;
Access to financial support; and
Information on starting or operating a business.

Transaction services:

Online application forms (Statement of Intent, the first step in applying for financial assistance);

Online business planning (Client Toolkit v2.0); and

Business Performance Review Submission (Client Toolkit v2.0).

Clients and benefits of online service

Clients:

Status and non-status Indians;
Inuit and Métis individuals; and
Associations, partnerships and/or other legal entities that are wholly or partly owned or controlled by Aboriginal people, on or off-reserve.

Benefits:

Clients receive program information and services more rapidly and at their convenience;

More transparent application and approval processes; and

Tools help clients plan, establish or expand a business, and apply for financial assistance.

Our journey to success

Aboriginal Business Canada is working with other grants and contributions programs at Industry Canada to improve online systems for the delivery and administration of grants and contributions.

The eGC (Electronic Grants and Contributions) project has accomplished a major milestone in GOL service transformation with the November 2005 pilot launch of the eClaims application, which is the first phase of a multi-year project that will transform how Aboriginal Business Canada delivers its grants and contributions program and services. This phase of the project established a platform, using existing infrastructure and interfacing with the Contribution Management Information System, capable of supporting the eventual full suite of grants and contributions “front office” business processes. Options for the next phase of the project include eMonitoring, eAgreements and eApplications.

In 2006, Aboriginal Business Canada will be continuing the pilot in the Ontario region, resulting in a national roll-out by the fall. Clients in pilot areas can expect access to interactive services for online claims administration. User acceptance testing suggests that the eClaims system is more efficient and easier for clients to use than existing paper processes. It records and carries over data submitted in previous transactions, thereby reducing duplication, improving automated tracking of claims and status, and improving response times.