In an exclusive interview with Indigenous-SME Business Magazine, Wade Kerr, Manager of Indigenous Entrepreneurship at BDC, shares his perspective on creating more accessible pathways for Indigenous entrepreneurs through relationship-based financing and tailored business support. Drawing from his own family’s entrepreneurial background and experience in Indigenous banking, Wade discusses how capital can serve as a tool for empowerment, community growth, and long-term economic self-determination.
Interview By SK Uddin
Wade Kerr is the Manager, Indigenous Entrepreneurship at BDC. His work is rooted in a deep commitment to supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs and strengthening the pathways that help businesses grow in meaningful and sustainable ways. He partners closely with entrepreneurs, communities, and organizations across the country, with a focus on improving access to financing and tailored business support that reflects the realities and strengths of Indigenous businesses.
In his role, Wade contributes to shaping financing approaches that are more responsive and inclusive, while building strong relationships with Indigenous Financial Institutions and partners. Through this work, he helps address long-standing barriers and supports the conditions for long-term economic growth grounded in community priorities.
Wade is a member of Kitigan Zibi First Nation and brings years of experience in Indigenous banking, with a focus on economic empowerment. His perspective is also shaped by his own lived experience. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, he understands both the challenges and the opportunities that come with building and sustaining a business. This connection carries through how he shows up in his work and relationships.
What inspired your work in Indigenous financing, and how has it shaped your view of opportunity and capital?
I grew up watching entrepreneurship firsthand through my family. My father and grandfather were entrepreneurs, and I saw both the pride and the challenges that came with building something of your own. I watched them create opportunities not just for themselves, but for their families and communities. At the same time, I also saw the barriers they faced when it came to accessing capital, navigating financial systems, and being understood by institutions that often weren’t built with Indigenous realities in mind.
Those experiences shaped how I view opportunity and capital. For me, capital is more than money, it’s a tool for self-determination, empowerment, and community impact. I’ve seen how access to financing can help Indigenous entrepreneurs preserve culture, create jobs, build confidence, and strengthen local economies. But I’ve also learned that opportunity isn’t always equally distributed, and sometimes the role of Indigenous financing is about helping bridge that gap in a way that is culturally aware, relationship-based, and rooted in trust. In this way, capital is not just funding, it is a lever for growth and community impact.
That perspective is what drives my work today. I believe successful financing starts with listening, understanding people’s stories, and recognizing the strengths that Indigenous entrepreneurs already bring to the table.
How does BDC, through its Inclusive Entrepreneurship team, support Indigenous entrepreneurs in overcoming barriers and building successful, sustainable businesses?
What I appreciate about BDC’s approach is how it brings together financing, education, relationship-building, and tailored support in response to the realities Indigenous entrepreneurs are navigating. While our Inclusive Entrepreneurship team plays an important role, this approach is embedded across BDC and shapes how we support entrepreneurs more broadly. Our team works to meet entrepreneurs where they are and provide culturally aware support that respects community context and long-term goals. We are in the field meeting entrepreneurs in their communities, building trust directly and understanding realities firsthand.
Our support can include flexible financing solutions, advisory services, partnerships with Indigenous organizations, and dedicated account managers who understand the unique opportunities and challenges Indigenous entrepreneurs face.
BDC also plays an important role in helping shift the conversation around capital. Success isn’t just measured by profit but also by the broader impact businesses have on their communities, including sustainability, job creation, and intergenerational growth. Indigenous entrepreneurs often build businesses with a broader purpose tied to community wellbeing and economic self-determination, and our teams recognize that. As such, our Indigenous Entrepreneur Loan embeds that community support into its structure by contributing to charities that support Indigenous peoples.
What are the key challenges Indigenous businesses face in accessing funding, and how can they be reduced?
One of the biggest challenges Indigenous businesses face in accessing funding is that many traditional financing systems weren’t designed with Indigenous realities in mind. For example, entrepreneurs in remote or reserve communities can face barriers related to land ownership and collateral, because reserve land can’t always be used in the same way as traditional assets for secured lending. That can make it harder to meet conventional lending requirements, even when the business itself is strong and viable.
There are also systemic and historical barriers. Many Indigenous entrepreneurs have experienced distrust toward financial institutions due to generations of exclusion and underinvestment. In some cases, there’s also limited access to business networks, mentorship, financial literacy resources, or nearby banking services, especially in rural and northern communities. Reducing these barriers starts with building relationships and trust. Financial institutions need culturally informed approaches and teams that understand Indigenous communities, governance structures, and business models. Flexibility in lending practices is also important looking beyond just collateral and considering cash flow, partnerships, and the entrepreneur’s vision and leadership.
Partnerships are another key piece. Collaboration between banks, Indigenous Financial Institutions, community organizations, and government programs can help create more accessible pathways to capital and business support.
What defines a strong, community-focused financing relationship for Indigenous entrepreneurs?
For me, strong financing relationships start with listening. Listening is not transactional; it is the foundation of trust. Indigenous entrepreneurs want partners who understand that success can include things like creating local employment, supporting community wellbeing, preserving culture, or building opportunities for future generations, not just maximizing short-term profit. When lenders recognize those values, it creates a much more meaningful and effective partnership.
Another key element is cultural awareness and flexibility. Every Indigenous community and business journey is different, so a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Strong financing relationships involve meeting entrepreneurs where they are, understanding specific barriers like collateral, and working collaboratively to find solutions rather than focusing only on limitations.
Consistency and presence also matter. Trust is built over time through transparency, reliability, and showing up consistently.
How can lenders, governments, and partners better align to support Indigenous SMEs?
To better support Indigenous SMEs, lenders, governments, and partners need to move from working in silos to building more coordinated, relationship-based ecosystems of support. This means more coordinated programs, shared resources, and collaboration with Indigenous Financial Institutions. Indigenous entrepreneurs are often navigating multiple barriers at once, such as access to capital, infrastructure gaps, limited business networks, capacity challenges, and complex funding systems. Alignment within the ecosystem is an imperative. Greater alignment across the ecosystem is essential to addressing these challenges effectively.
Alignment should be grounded in economic reconciliation. Supporting Indigenous SMEs isn’t just about addressing gaps, it’s about recognizing the immense economic opportunity, innovation, and community impact Indigenous businesses bring to Canada’s economy. When lenders, governments, and partners align around that shared vision, they can help create systems that are more inclusive, flexible, and empowering for Indigenous entrepreneurs.
What is your vision for Indigenous financing in Canada, and what advice would you give emerging entrepreneurs?
My vision for Indigenous financing in Canada is a future where Indigenous entrepreneurs have equal access to opportunity, capital, and support. This includes stronger collaboration and more accessible ecosystems of support. Indigenous businesses already contribute immense value through innovation, job creation, and community impact, but too many entrepreneurs still face systemic barriers to funding and growth. I believe the future of Indigenous financing must be relationship-based, culturally aware, and focused on empowering entrepreneurs to succeed on their own terms.
Looking ahead, expanding access to capital and strengthening collaboration across the ecosystem will be critical. By working more closely with Indigenous partners and community-based lenders, organizations like BDC can help ensure that more entrepreneurs have access not only to capital, but also to mentorship, networks, and long-term support. Economic reconciliation means creating systems where Indigenous entrepreneurs have the same opportunity to thrive as anyone else.
For emerging entrepreneurs, my biggest advice is to stay courageous and curious. Entrepreneurship requires courage because there will always be uncertainty and challenges, but growth comes from continuing to move forward despite them. Curiosity is equally important; ask questions, seek mentors, build relationships, and stay open to learning.
Disclaimer : Indigenous-SME Business Magazine is committed to providing insightful interviews that highlight the successes and challenges faced by small and medium-sized businesses. The views expressed in this interview are those of the guest and may not reflect the opinions of the magazine or its affiliates.
