Despite their historical role as stewards, Indigenous businesses face significant structural, financial, and procurement barriers to equitable participation in Canada’s capital-intensive forestry sector. Commissioned by CCIB and funded by Natural Resources Canada, this second installment in the forestry research series moves beyond identifying problems to deliver a practical, experience-based blueprint for action.

Drawing on qualitative interviews with Indigenous entrepreneurs and industry experts, the report outlines adaptable “wise practices” across six core areas: embedding relationship-first engagement, aligning financing with operational realities, reforming procurement, expanding workforce pathways, expanding tenure access, and integrating Indigenous Knowledge upstream.

By offering concrete implementation roadmaps and a minimal KPI framework, this report equips policymakers, corporate purchasers, and Indigenous communities with the tools needed to drive measurable change. Ultimately, this actionable framework ensures that Indigenous leadership and governance become foundational to building a sustainable, highly resilient forestry sector that benefits all communities nationwide.