b'INVESTMENTS AND CAPITAL MARKETScapital around the $1 billion mark. Today,vice president of corporate developmentof growing recognition. By taking First Nations can borrow significant capitalat Nations Royalty. this step, the federal government is and can now raise the 20-30% equity onFor investors, pooling royalties acrossrecognizing the immense value ofbankable major projects. Nations offers diversification and reducedFirst Nation partnerships and investingPROVEN PROVINCIAL MODELS risk. For communities, it providesin their success, she says.Programs like Ontarios Indigenousimmediate value and long-term returns.Bevan agrees: The challenges that most Opportunities Financing Program (IOFP)The market for this is massive and, in myFirst Nations faced was they could not and the Alberta Indigenous Opportunitiesview, will just continue to increase overparticipate in the Canadian economy in Corporation (AIOC) have alreadythe next decade, says Jaimie Lickers,a significant way. The program brings demonstrated success. Ontarios programsenior vice president of Indigenoussignificant changes or alleviates some of has expanded from $1 billion to $3 billion inmarkets at CIBC. those challenges.guarantees, supporting equity in STRONGER TOGETHER As our late CEO Niilo Edwards always energy infrastructure projects. WeveFNMPC executive chair Sharleen Galesaid, we are so much stronger together, provided the proof of concept, now weresees the federal ILGP as a sign Gale concludes. I truly believe that.seeing up to 50% equity ownership byFirst Nation partners in transmission projects, says Sandy Roberts, directorof strategic project finance at the Ontario Financing Authority.In Alberta, the AIOC has backed over $720 million in large-scale infrastructure and other projects since 2019, with projected returns of $1.3 billion to 43 participating communities. We are proudly leading the country in the number and magnitude of partnerships deployed, says CEO Chana Martineau. We have communities that have operated as repeat investors, and there has been an immense amount of interest on First Nation, Mtis, and the corporate side.In addition to loan guarantees, new and creative approaches to building Indigenous wealth are also taking shapeincluding one that began over dinner.INNOVATIVE INVESTMENT MODELSBorn out of a casual dinner conversation between founding CEO Robert McLeod and leaders from Nis gaa Nation, Nations Royalty was created to unlock new economic opportunities for Indigenous communities. The organization focuses on royalty diversification, helping Nations leverage the value of existing benefit agreements with resource companies to generate sustainable income.Launched in 2024 and listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, Nations Royalty is the worlds first majority Indigenous-owned mining royalty company. Built on the foundation of Nis gaa Nations existing royalty portfolio, its vision is to unite Indigenous groups across Canada and beyond, creating a shared portfolio of royalties from energy and mining assets.Theres never been a company likeuskeeping Indigenous wealth in Indigenous hands while accessing the public markets, says Kody Penner,36NATIONS FORWARDIssue 12025First Nations Major Projects Coalition37'