Regina's Indigenous procurement policy takes shape as step toward economic reconciliation
CBC
Regina is one step closer to having an Indigenous procurement policy.
According to city officials, once implemented it will be the city's first policy that directly responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action.
"If you're acknowledging the harms and mistakes of the past, then this is one of the harms and mistakes," said Mayor Sandra Masters.
"There's not intergenerational kind of businesses in Indigenous communities necessarily to the extent that there are in non-Indigenous [communities]."
The City of Regina spent $205 million on procurement in 2022. Just $300,000 dollars — or 0.15 per cent — went to Indigenous businesses.
The policy increases that commitment, stating that a minimum of 20 per cent of Regina's procurement contracts be held by Indigenous vendors.
In a report presented to executive committee, last year's spending percentage is expected to "grow exponentially" with the implementation of the policy.
However, there is no timeline for when the city would be required to meet the goal of 20 per cent. Staff admitted to the executive committee that some of the finer details in the agreement need to be ironed out.
Thomas Benjoe, CEO of File Hills Qu'Appelle Developments, says the strategy provides an exciting opportunity for Indigenous companies to move away from chasing a single big contract.
Indigenous companies will "be able to see contracts and revenue opportunities on an annual basis. So things aren't as peaks and valley," he said.
Benjoe helped develop the policy as part of a 23-person Indigenous procurement advisory committee created to advise the city.
The strategy means that young Indigenous people interested in becoming entrepreneurs will be able to see success and be encouraged to create their own path forward, Benjoe said.
"It's a long time coming and I think we can be very proud of our community and in our city for taking such a large leadership step in the right direction," he said.
The policy received unanimous support at executive committee on Wednesday but must still pass a vote at a meeting of Regina city council.