Futurpreneur Canada partners with the Tribal Resources Investment Corporation to support aspiring First Nations entrepreneurs in Northern British Columbia

Partnership extends Futurpreneur’s work with BG Canada on the ThriveNorth initiative to support entrepreneurship in Northern B.C.

Vancouver – (July 29, 2015) – Futurpreneur Canada is pleased to partner with Tribal Resources Investment Corporation (TRICORP) to provide financing and mentorship to First Nations people aged 18 to 39 who are launching their own businesses in Northwest British Columbia.

This partnership builds on Futurpreneur’s ThriveNorth initiative with BG Canada and Youth Business International (YBI) to support entrepreneurship and economic growth in the Northwest coastal region.

Through this partnership, Futurpreneur provides equity matching – up to $5000 – to TRICORP clients to enhance their financing and matches them with a seasoned business professional for six months of mentorship. In addition, TRICORP clients are introduced to ThriveNorth programming such as the Peer Mentor Circle being led by Dave McKeever at Northwest Community College and the Business Planning Workshops led by Chad Fryling, one of Futurpreneur’s Entrepreneurs in Residence.

“With the support of TRICORP, we’re able to extend our programs and services to even more aspiring entrepreneurs,” said Julia Deans, CEO, Futurpreneur Canada. “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to work with TRICORP and to learn from its years of supporting First Nations entrepreneurs in the region.”

“Small business is the backbone of the local economy,” says Simon Nish, VP Sustainability, BG Canada. “We are doing what we can now to help grow small business and create jobs. Partnering with TRICORP expands the reach of ThriveNorth, giving First Nations members more access to the mentorship and resources needed to help start their own businesses. We are proud to support Northern BC’s aspiring entrepreneurs.”

“We’re pleased to have developed this partnership with Futurpreneur Canada and BG Canada through the ThriveNorth initiative. Our vision for our people is economic self-reliance, and we know that this is also a key value for Futurpreneur and BG,” said Frank Parnell, CEO, TRICORP. “We are particularly excited about the work we are doing through ThriveNorth to match mentors with the new business owners that we are financing, as this is a real need in the area.”

The first entrepreneur to benefit from the partnership is Laina Holland, who opened Wiah Point Adventures on Northern Haida Gwaii. Wiah Point Adventures is a new eco-friendly fishing charter company, and the first full-service lodge of its type on Haida Gwaii. Holland was matched with mentor Kristina De Araujo, the Director of Corporate Affairs for Quickload Logistics, based in Prince Rupert. In addition to being a local business leader, De Araujo is an advocate for women’s business ownership and is on the Premier’s Advisory Council for Women’s Economic Development.

“The TRICORP ACE program on Haida Gwaii helped me plan my business and set goals to a realistic timeline. Financing from TRICORP enabled me to buy the boat for Wiah Point Adventures and I am really looking forward to being matched with a mentor to have someone to check in with and talk through issues as they come up,” said Laina Holland, Owner, Wiah Point Adventures.

Through the ThriveNorth initiative, Futurpreneur and BG Canada have also sponsored two cohorts to take part in TRICORP’s newest training program – the Northwest Eagle Program – a three-day introductory workshop to help educate young people about entrepreneurship and how to launch a business.

To learn more about how Futurpreneur Canada and BG Canada are working together to help aspiring young entrepreneurs in Northwest BC, please visit www.thrivenorth.ca

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About Futurpreneur Canada

Futurpreneur Canada (formerly the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, or CYBF) has been fueling the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for nearly two decades. We are the only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39. Our internationally recognized mentoring program hand matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,800 volunteer mentors. Futurpreneur Canada is a founding member of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance, the Canadian member of Youth Business International, and the Canadian host of Global Entrepreneurship Week. www.futurpreneur.ca. Facebook: Futurpreneur Twitter: @Futurpreneur

Tribal Resources Investment Corporation

The Tribal Resources Investment Corporation (TRICORP) provides a wide range of financial services to First Nations entrepreneurs in Northwestern British Columbia.

About ThriveNorth

ThriveNorth was launched in November 2014 by BG Canada and Futurpreneur Canada.  ThriveNorth enhances entrepreneurship opportunities and empowers youth in Northern BC. ThriveNorth gives young people in the region access to the resources, mentorship, and financing necessary to launch and grow their own businesses. For more information, please visit www.thrivenorth.ca.

For interview opportunities and media inquiries, please contact:

Meghan Paton
Manager, Public Relations and Social Media
Futurpreneur Canada
416-408-2923 x 2207
mpaton@futurpreneur.ca