The Business Development Bank of Canada is investing $200 million in Black and Indigenous entrepreneurs through its venture arm, BDC Capital. The bank has earmarked another $50 million for loans and training programs to support businesses owned by women, Indigenous and Black entrepreneurs with revenues under $3 million. (The Logic)

Talking point: The Crown corporation has created an inclusive entrepreneurship team to oversee the financing. The initiative adds to BDC’s $500-million Thrive fund for women-led businesses, launched in 2022. The bank’s CEO Isabelle Hudon has prioritized services for underserved communities since taking the helm in 2021. BDC—which has a dual mandate to fill funding gaps for Canadian business owners and generate returns for its single shareholder, the federal government—said in a press release that it has committed over $8 billion to underserved businesses through programs like Thrive, the Indigenous Entrepreneur Loan and BKR Capital.