Access to capital for Indigenous people and communities is on a “steady upward trend,” according to a report from international credit rating agency ​​Morningstar DBRS. The report identified more than $13 billion in federal and provincial financing available through vehicles like loan guarantees and an estimated $800 million in annual Indigenous financing activity over the past five years. (The Logic)

Talking point: Challenges accessing capital at reasonable rates has been a major barrier to Indigenous peoples’ participation in the economy, the report notes. Recent efforts to change that include Ottawa’s $5-billion Indigenous loan guarantee program and a $1-billion equity loan program from the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Improved access to loans has allowed for more Indigenous equity ownership of major projects in sectors like infrastructure and energy. “We anticipate this segment of financing will grow significantly in the coming years,” the report reads.