A three-day conference spearheaded by a Thunder Bay entrepreneur will gather Indigenous and industry leaders, investors, and policy experts next month in Vancouver to explore the future of Canadian Indigenous investment and partnership.
The three-day First Nations Investment Forum (FNIF) was conceived by Anthony Maunula, a member of Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation, and will take place Dec. 8 to 10 at the JW Marriott Parq in Vancouver.
“I noticed a gap in the conference circuit,” Maunula said in a press release. “There are plenty of Indigenous business events and forums to discuss major projects, but there wasn’t a space designed to truly connect these two worlds. The First Nations Investment Forum brings together First Nation governments, investors, and industry partners from across Canada to advance Indigenous ownership in major projects.”
The forum is co-presented by Thunder Bay-based Horizon Seven, an advisory and strategy firm at which Maunula is a principal, and Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation. While it began as a local idea rooted in Northwestern Ontario, the forum has expanded to a national platform with the goal of connecting communities, capital, and opportunity.
It will include keynote presentations, investment showcases, and 10 First Nation-led project pitches across energy, mining, infrastructure, and housing.
“It’s important that Northwestern Ontario is represented at a national level,” Maunula said. “There are incredible examples of partnership, innovation, and Indigenous leadership right here in our region, and this event gives us a platform to share that success story with the rest of Canada.”
The program will also focus on local and regional leadership, bringing speakers, business leaders, and investment-ready projects from Thunder Bay and surrounding First Nations and municipalities to a national stage. Communities and companies from Northwestern Ontario will have the opportunity to showcase projects, attract investment, and form new partnerships with investors, developers, and government leaders.
First Nations and organizations from Northwestern Ontario are being offered a discounted delegate pass for $500 to help local communities and organizations showcase their projects while connecting directly with national investors and industry leaders seeking new partnership opportunities.
Among speakers at the event will be president of Mokwateh and advisor for the major projects office JP Gladu, Indigenomics Institute founder Carol Anne Hilton, CEO and Founder, Seven Generations Capital founder Andrew Hungerford, Colliers Project Leaders vice-president Stephen Lidington, Robert Brant, partner in the Indigenous Projects & Transactions Group at McCarthy Tétrault, Indigenous Equity Opportunities Partner Monika Bear Robe of MNP, CANDU senior vice-president Carl Marcotte, and Matthew Jackson, vice-president of Indigenous Relations at Hydro One Networks.
The forum will also focus on investment-ready projects in energy, infrastructure, real estate, gaming, AI, data storage, and critical minerals, showcasing new opportunities for First Nations investment and ownership in Ontario, British Columbia, and across Canada. Expert panels will include discussions on Indigenous investment, partnership, and capital access.
“This event is about building bridges between Indigenous communities, industry, and the investment world – fostering economic sovereignty and advancing First Nations leadership in major projects,” Maunula said. “We’re proud to present a powerful final program that reflects the strength, innovation, and leadership of First Nations in Canada’s economic future.”
For the full program and registration details, visit firstnationsinvestmentforum.ca.
