Members of Regina’s Indigenous business community say city council’s commitment to developing an Indigenous procurement policy is an important step in the right direction.

“That is another way that’s going to lead towards economic reconciliation. It’s going to help Indigenous owned businesses and communities have that self-determination,” said Nick Crighton, director of Indigenous engagement for the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.

On Wednesday, city council approved a motion brought forward by Mayor Sandra Masters that directs administration to provide recommendations for establishing an Indigenous procurement policy that includes “a target for percentage of total awarded contracts annually to Indigenous owned and controlled businesses.”

That target will likely depend on the pool of local Indigenous businesses available to bid on such contracts, said Crighton in an interview Friday.

The businesses are to be at least 51 per cent Indigenous owned and controlled with more than six full-time staff. One-third of the employees must also be Indigenous, according to the motion.

The policy’s intent is to attract Indigenous-owned businesses to bid on City of Regina maintenance, construction, and supply contracts. It aims to “redress some of that economic unfairness that has existed over the last number of decades,” Masters said Wednesday.

“Indigenous communities are so used to being told what to do and what we should expect and throwing crumbs here and there, but this is going to allow Indigenous-owned businesses to enter into that supply chain which is going to be totally beneficial,” said Crighton.

In part, Number 92 of the Truth and Reconciliation 94 Calls to Action calls on the Canadian corporate sector to ensure Indigenous peoples have “equitable access to jobs, training, and education opportunities in the corporate sector” and Indigenous communities have “long-term sustainable benefits” from economic development projects.

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