In November 2022, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) announced Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy to harness the significant partnership opportunities that the region represents. As part of these efforts, CCIB collaborated with GAC to develop a pre-event survey and host an engagement session on February 6th, 2025, to understand Indigenous businesses’ engagement, experiences, and perspectives on the Indo-Pacific market.

Another objective was to better understand the challenges for Indigenous Peoples in Canada in making linkages with Indigenous Peoples from other Indo-Pacific countries, identify opportunities for partnerships, and find areas for capacity-building and greater coordination.

The survey gauged participants’ engagement in international trade, intended markets, challenges, and opportunities. A subsequent roundtable in Vancouver focused on these key themes, building upon initial findings to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of participants’ interest in the Indo-Pacific, supports, and recommendations.