T hrough distinct and ambitious strategies, more Indigenous organizations and businesses are embracing acquisitions and deliberate expansion to build durable businesses capable of creating long-term prosperity for the communities they serve. Glooscap Ventures on Canada’s East Coast and Mikisew Group in Alberta represent two such businesses. Both have made substantial acquisitions in recent years, and both are using their business success to their communities’ benefit. Thousands of kilometres separate mainland Nova Scotia from Alberta. For Glooscap Ventures, that distance reflects how far the ambitions of their small Mi’kmaw community have reached and the possibilities that national-scale ownership can create for its members. Established in 2014, Glooscap Ventures is the wholly owned investment arm of Glooscap First Nation, one of Nova Scotia’s 13 Mi’kmaw communities. Its diversified portfolio spans seafood, retail, real estate, renewable energy, professional services, defence and gaming. Mikisew Group, created in 1991 as the distinct business entity of Mikisew Cree First Nation, built its foundation in oil sands site services, maintenance, logis- tics and construction and has since diversified beyond its original industrial service base. For this northern Alberta business, growth has meant evolving from an oil sands service provider into a diversified industrial company span- ning skilled trades, infrastructure, real estate, tourism and private equity. In aspiring to expand and grow their businesses, the central question for both companies has not just been, “What can we buy?” Instead, they both asked themselves, “What can this investment allow our Nation to build next?” This represents a marked distinc- tion from many non-Indigenous busi- nesses embracing growth. GROWTH THROUGH GAMING For Glooscap, a clear answer emerged through an industry it already under- stood well: gaming. The company was familiar with gaming through invest- ments in Nova Scotia, so the industry was not new to the organization. The opportunity to enter it on a national scale, however, was. It welcomed the opportunity and forged ahead. In December 2024, Glooscap joined Millbrook First Nation, Annapolis Valley First Nation, We’koqma’q L’nue’kati and Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation, along with Sonco Gaming Inc., to acquire PURE Canadian Gaming through Indigenous Gaming Partners. The acquisition included PURE Casino Edmonton, PURE Casino Yellowhead, PURE Casino Calgary and PURE Casino Lethbridge. In June 2026, Indigenous Gaming Partners completed its acquisition of Gamehost Inc. through PURE Casino Entertainment, taking the publicly traded company private. The trans- action added Great Northern Casino in Grande Prairie, Rivers Casino & Entertainment Centre in Fort McMurray, Deerfoot Inn & Casino in Calgary, Service Plus Inns & Suites and Encore Suites by Service Plus in Grande Prairie to the mix. Together, the two acquisitions created a port- folio of seven casinos and three hotels across Alberta. GROWTH SPURT By Andrew St. Germain Tw o b u s i n e s s e s e m b r a c e e x p a n s i o n t h r o u g h a c q u i s i t i o n — b r o a d e n i n g t h e i r b u s i n e s s m o d e l a n d b e n e f i t i n g t h e i r c o m m u n i t i e s 34 A CCIB PUBLICATION Fall 2026 BUSINESS EXPANSION Lobster boats are key to Glooscap's business, but in addition to seafood the company's portfolio includes retail, renewable energy, defence and a recent move into gaming Mikisew Group has evolved from an oil sands service provider into a large industrial company spanning skilled trades, infrastructure, real estate, tourism and private equity
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