Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business

What Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business does

Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB), founded in 1984 and headquartered in Toronto, is a national nonprofit organization that builds bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses, communities, and governments in Canada. It operates a portfolio of interconnected programs including Tools for Indigenous Business (TIB), the Certified Indigenous Business Program, the Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations (PAIR) accreditation, Connects member networking, the Supply Change procurement marketplace, and the Indigenous Business Defence Sector Accelerator, complemented by a quarterly Indigenous Business Report magazine, biweekly e-newsletters, an online learning platform (including a Mini MBA with Schulich), six annual awards, and the Indigenous Business Insights Dashboard built with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce's Business Data Lab. Its technology stack is operational rather than technology-led, consisting of a member portal, a searchable member directory, a procurement marketplace, a Thinkific-based learning environment, and a data dashboard, with no disclosed proprietary AI/ML components.

CCIB is funded through a mix of corporate membership fees, patronage and sponsorship contributions from major Canadian enterprises (BMO, CIBC, Scotiabank, Enbridge, Hydro Quebec, Rio Tinto, Suncor and others), event revenue, research and project grants (notably CAD $1.5M from Google Canada in 2022 and CAD $500K from Meta in 2020), and program-related fees. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: the organization acquires Indigenous business members and corporate partners through national events, awards, webinars, and the Supply Change marketplace, and converts participation into program enrollment, certification, and procurement relationships. The organization is governed by a national voluntary Board of Directors, has no parent company, and has 11-50 employees.

Name

Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business

Legal name

Canadian Council for Indigenous Business

Website

https://ccab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Canadian Council for Indigenous Business is a national nonprofit, founded in 1984 and based in Toronto, that connects Indigenous-owned businesses with corporate Canada and government buyers through certification (PAIR, Certified Indigenous Business), the Supply Change procurement marketplace, member networking, training, events, and research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Memberships: Corporate members pay membership fees to access Indigenous business connections, procurement partnerships, and PAIR certification.
2. Sponsorships: Organizations sponsor CCIB programs, events, and initiatives as Patrons or sponsors to support economic reconciliation and gain visibility with Indigenous businesses.
3. Event Revenue: CCIB hosts national events, awards ceremonies, and webinars that generate revenue through registrations and event-related activities.
4. Research Grants and Funding: CCIB receives funding from government and institutional partners for research initiatives, such as the Indigenous Business Insights Tracker with BDL and ATB Financial.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CCIB is a national nonprofit membership organization that delivers programs and services connecting Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses in Canada. Its primary offerings include Indigenous business certification, the Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations (PAIR) corporate accreditation, the Supply Change procurement marketplace, business development tools and training, member networking, and Indigenous economy research. The organization also grants six annual awards, publishes a quarterly magazine, and convenes national events for Indigenous and corporate members.

Product overview

CCIB operates as a membership-based organization offering a platform of interconnected programs and services for Indigenous businesses and economic development. The core portfolio includes: Tools for Indigenous Business (TIB) providing practical resources and training; the Certified Indigenous Business Program offering verification of Indigenous ownership; the Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations (PAIR) for corporate partnership benchmarking; Supply Change as an Indigenous procurement marketplace; and Connects for member networking. Additional offerings include a quarterly Indigenous Business Report Magazine, an Indigenous Business Insights Dashboard (built with Canadian Chamber of Commerce's Business Data Lab), online learning via Thinkific, awards programs, and sponsorship opportunities. The programs work together to build bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses through certification, procurement facilitation, research, and community building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Supply Change: Indigenous procurement program and marketplace connecting Certified Indigenous Businesses with corporations and governments to improve procurement opportunities.
• Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations (PAIR)
• Tools for Indigenous Business (TIB)
• Connects
• Indigenous Business Report

Products and services

• Tools for Indigenous Business (TIB) Practical tools, resources, training, and network building program that helps Indigenous-owned businesses grow and scale their operations.
• Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations (PAIR) Verified benchmarking accreditation program that ensures relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses and communities are respectful and prosperous.
• Supply Change Indigenous Procurement Marketplace Online procurement marketplace that connects Champions and Advocates (buyers from corporations and governments) with Certified Indigenous Businesses (suppliers) to facilitate procurement opportunities and support Indigenous economic growth.
• Certified Indigenous Business Program Certification program that provides assurance of authenticity that Indigenous businesses are majority owned and controlled by an Indigenous person, enabling them to participate in Supply Change and corporate procurement diversity programs.
• Connects Member networking and collaboration program that builds relationships with other members and facilitates industry-specific information sharing and guidance.
• Indigenous Business Insights Dashboard Data tracking platform built in partnership with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce's Business Data Lab to measure the real and ongoing impact of Indigenous businesses in Canada, helping businesses, policymakers, and communities understand the Indigenous business landscape.
• Indigenous Business Report Magazine CCIB's quarterly magazine covering various business topics relevant to Indigenous communities, including innovation, trade, and success stories.
• Online Learning Online educational courses and training modules for Indigenous business development, including a Mini MBA program delivered in partnership with Schulich.
• Indigenous Business Defence Sector Accelerator Specialized accelerator program supporting Indigenous businesses in the defence sector through Supply Change initiatives.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Canadian Chamber of Commerce Business Data Lab (BDL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDL partnered with CCIB to launch the Indigenous Business Insights Tracker, measuring the real and ongoing impact of Indigenous businesses in Canada. This data-driven initiative helps businesses, policymakers, and communities understand the Indigenous business landscape.
• ATB FinancialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATB Financial partnered with CCIB and the Business Data Lab on the 'From Readiness To Reach' report to fill critical knowledge gaps about Indigenous business capabilities.
• Global Affairs CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCIB and Global Affairs Canada explored Indigenous business engagement in Indo-Pacific markets, highlighting challenges and opportunities in the Indigenous Engagement on Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy report.
• Patron Organizations (Aramark, Bee Clean, BMO, Bouchier, BrucePower, CIBC, Civeo, CPKC, Compass Group, Enbridge, Hydro Quebec, Imperial, LNG Canada, Ontario Power Generation, RioTinto, Rogers, Scotiabank, Sodexo, Suncor, Sysco, Teck)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThese organizations are patron members that have made additional commitments to support CCIB's mission. They represent major Canadian corporations in banking, energy, resources, and services sectors committed to Indigenous economic reconciliation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ccab_national
• Facebookfacebook.com/CanadianCouncilforAboriginalBusiness

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business