Some days, it seems like every time you see First Nations communities profiled in the media, it is a bad - news story. We hear again and again about soaring diabetes rates, high levels of poverty and unemployment – but rarely are we hearing about solutions.

At Aki Energy, we are lucky to be working with a group of pioneering First Nations in Manitoba who are on the forefront of those solutions. The First Nations whose stories are profiled in this report are building healthier communities while creating long -term local employment and business opportunities through social enterprise and the solutions economy.

Download Social Enterprise and the Solutions Economy

Social Enterprise and the Solutions Economy is a chance to share those stories, and to profile some of the 2 successes of First Nations in building healthy, sustainable local economies. We will talk about social enterprise, a new way of doing business that is good for the earth and for the community. We will talk about the solutions economy, where economic tools are used to in socially responsible ways to address challenges faced by communities. We will talk about how these approaches can help bring prosperity to First Nations by creating local jobs and providing solutions to entrenched community challenges.

Table of Contents

Section 1: Social Enterprise and the Solutions Economy
   The Upside of Down – When a Problem is an Opportunity
   Social Enterprise – A New Path Forward
Section 2: Opportunity Knocks – Social Enterprise Solutions for Manitoba
   Energy Efficiency
   Case Study: BUILD Inc.
   Green Energy
   Case Study: Peguis First Nation and Fisher River Cree Nation Geothermal Energy Project
   Local and Traditional Foods
   Iqaluit Country Foods Market
   Case Study: Meechim Inc.
   Case Study: Kagiwiosa Manomin
Section 3: The Road to Success - Social Enterprise Toolkit
   Legal Framework
   Creating a Business Plan
   Governance
Capital Section 4: Conclusion