Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications
Remarks by Mr. Matthew Foss
Vice President, Research & Public Policy, Canadian Council for Indigenous Business
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Taanishi, Matthew Foss dishinihkaashoon. Hello. My name is Matthew Foss. I am a member of Otipemisiwak. Today I am speaking to you from my home office, on the lands of Treaty Six Peoples and the Métis.
As Vice President of Research & Public Policy for Canadian Council for Indigenous Business, I want to thank you, Mr. Chair, and all distinguished members of the Committee for the opportunity to provide you with my testimony and to contribute to this important work.
Since 1984, CCIB has been committed to the full participation of Indigenous Peoples in the Canadian economy. We are a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to advancing the full participation of Indigenous Peoples in Canada’s economy. CCIB exists “to promote, strengthen and enhance a prosperous Indigenous economy through… business relationships.” Ensuring Indigenous businesses have uninterrupted access to markets and inputs aligns with that mission.
If transportation policies ignore Indigenous vulnerabilities, remote Indigenous entrepreneurs and workers will be left behind. In our recent Adawe and Atamitowin reports that we did in partnership with Global Affairs Canada, we reported that Indigenous businesses are 40 per cent less likely to be exporters compared to all Canadian businesses, with access to reliable infrastructure being one of the biggest causes of this gap.
Labour disputes in Canada’s federally regulated rail and marine sectors pose significant risks to essential services and supply chains, with disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities and businesses. Many Indigenous areas, particularly in remote or northern locations, rely on these modes for food, fuel, goods, market access, and resource-dependent enterprises. Disruptions, such as recent rail lockouts, rapidly halt logistics, exacerbate vulnerabilities, and threaten economic gains. A business in a major city may be able to pivot to other options, whether that is different forms of transportation or other sources or routes. An Indigenous-owned business in a remote or Northern community often has zero alternatives. They are frequently captive to a single rail line or a single port. A disruption for them is not a ‘delay’—it is a complete operational shutdown, threatening the very existence of their business.
Many Indigenous businesses, particularly new and emerging enterprises, operate with tighter cash flows and less capital reserve. They cannot absorb weeks of zero revenue. Furthermore, many are in perishable goods sectors like fisheries and agriculture. These strikes force them to lose 100% of their product, a catastrophic loss that a non-perishable goods business may not face. This vulnerability is a key equity consideration.
Through our Supply Change program, CCIB has worked for years to integrate Indigenous-owned businesses into the supply chains of corporate Canada. Rail and port shutdowns threaten those very chains. When a major mine, manufacturer, or resource project scales back operations because they can’t ship from a port, their Indigenous suppliers—the local caterers, service providers, and B2B businesses—are the first to have their contracts paused or cancelled.
Rail and marine transportation are critical lifelines for Indigenous businesses and communities, supporting supply chains, resource extraction, and access to essential goods in remote areas. This is underscored in CCIB’s 2022 publication, “The Transportation Issue,” which highlights transportation’s historical significance in Indigenous trade networks and its modern role in business resilience and development.
Rail and marine transport intersect Indigenous economies in vital ways, with historical roots in pre-colonial trade innovations like canoes and modern partnerships enabling development. Railways connect communities through passenger and freight services. These networks carry essentials like food, fuel, construction materials, and natural resources, enabling Indigenous entrepreneurs in mining, forestry, agriculture, fishing, and retail to access markets and sustain operations.
CCIB believes that essential services laws should balance worker protections with UNDRIP principles, avoiding top-down impositions that undermine Indigenous labour rights. To avoid future conflict and facilitate ongoing dialogue, CCIB recommends tripartite consultations (government, unions, Indigenous reps) for rail/marine agreements. While many focus on labour rights or economic productivity, CCIB’s argument is rooted in reconciliation, fairness, and the unique logistics of remote communities. We therefore urge this committee to recommend that any ‘maintenance of activities’ legislation or framework must include an ‘Indigenous economic lens.’
