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Indigenous Community Infrastructure

Tshiuetin Railway

We lend to new infrastructure projects that are in partnership with, and for the benefit of, Indigenous communities to reduce their infrastructure gap and promote economic participation.

We are collaborating with First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities across Canada to explore opportunities.

We have a target to invest at least $1 billion in revenue-generating Indigenous infrastructure projects across our five priority sectors: clean power, green infrastructure, public transit, broadband, and trade and transportation.

We collaborate with Indigenous partners across Canada through providing:

  • Loans for community-based infrastructure and infrastructure projects with Indigenous partners;
  • Loans to Indigenous communities to support them in purchasing equity stakes where the CIB is also investing;
  • Project acceleration funding to assist with project development; and
  • Advisory services.
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Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg

The investment from the CIB was essential to completing the financing for this project, that includes community equity and funding from various other community partners. Our experience with the CIB was an extremely positive one and they are clearly committed to the growth and development of Indigenous communities.

Chief Louis Kwissiwa
Alexander First Nation

The success of these projects, enabled by the Canada Infrastructure Bank and Arrow Technology Group, will have a lasting impact. By providing access to the same resources and opportunities as the rest of Alberta, we can open a gateway to a brighter future for those who have previously been left behind.

Chief George Arcand Jr.
English River First Nation

This unique partnership with English River First Nation, Des Nedhe Group, the Rural Municipality of Corman Park and Saskatchewan Water Corporation, enabled by CIB financing, signals an important step towards economic reconciliation. We look forward to ensuring we can advance future economic development for years to come.

Vice-Chief Jenny Campbell
shíshálh Nation

The shíshálh Nation is very pleased with the arrangements finalized for the long-term funding of this project. It exemplifies a great working relationship between our municipal First Nations Government and the CIB.

Former Chief Henry Warren Paull

The ICII is a collaborative financing solution that offers low-cost and long-term loans to Indigenous infrastructure projects and combines public funding and/or private and institutional investment to get more infrastructure built.

Through the ICII, our investment team looks to provide affordable, long-term financing to Indigenous projects that provide a direct benefit to an Indigenous community or communities. These projects must:

  • Fall within at least one of the CIB’s priority sectors and be located in Canada;
  • Provide a direct benefit to an Indigenous community by closing an infrastructure gap or through the meaningful economic participation and ownership of an Indigenous community;
  • Generate revenue, but can also be supported by other community revenues;
  • Include Indigenous community capital and/or other industry sponsor investment of at least 20% of project capital cost net of grants;
  • Represent an investment of at least $5 million and up to $100 million, and not more than 80% of project cost net of grants; evidence that no other lender will provide financing at terms and conditions that make the project viable; and
  • Be new or represent significant upgrades to existing infrastructure.

For more information on the ICII please refer to the adjoining documents or email us.

Enabling Indigenous participation is an important element to get more infrastructure built faster while bringing long-term economic benefits to Indigenous communities. Through the IEI, our investment team looks to lend to Indigenous communities to provide them with access to capital to purchase equity stakes in infrastructure projects in which the CIB is also investing. Economic returns from these projects can be reinvested in the community, narrowing the economic and infrastructure gap among Indigenous communities.

These Indigenous equity opportunities must:

  • Fall within at least one of the CIB’s priority sectors, and be for the purchase of an equity stake in a project where the CIB is already considering another investment;
  • Include First Nation, Metis and Inuit communities on whose traditional territory the project is situated;
  • Demonstrate a financing gap for the equity stake purchase; and
  • Require financing of no more than 90% of the Indigenous equity purchase through a loan size between $5 million and $100 million.

For more information on the IEI please refer to the adjoining documents or email us.