The First Nations have taken a majority stake in registered dealer Agentis Capital Markets, rebranding it as First Nations Financial Markets. The firm will help institutional investors raise capital for projects in mining, infrastructure, energy and other sectors, “bridging Indigenous communities and the broader financial ecosystem,” the firm said in a release. (The Logic)

Talking point: First Nations Financial Markets is one of a growing number of institutions aimed at increasing Indigenous participation in capital markets. In February 2024, Scotiabank and three Indigenous partners launched investment dealer Cedar Leaf Capital, which recently helped sell a 30-year, $350-million bond that will help Haisla First Nation buy a majority stake in a floating LNG facility to be built on its territory. Indigenous people in Canada face systemic barriers to financing—for example, the Indian Act stipulates that the legal title for reserve lands rests with the Crown, a restriction that raises transaction costs and makes it harder to access capital.