Ktunaxa Business Showcase Links Indigenous Businesses to Procurement Opportunities

Ktunaxa Business Showcase Links Indigenous Businesses to Procurement Opportunities

April 30, 2026

From strategic business networking sessions to a public open house and artisan market, the fourth Ktunaxa Business Showcase in Cranbrook was the most successful yet, says Travis Towsley, Business Development Officer for the Ktunaxa Nation Council (KNC).

ETSI-BC spoke to Travis about this initiative, which received a $42K grant from ETSI-BC in FY2026.

Tell us a bit about why Ktunaxa Nation Council hosts this event

Indigenous businesses may be challenged by a lack of information and/or capacity to participate and compete in the procurement and tendering processes used by industry and government. We launched the Showcase in 2020 as a way to connect our businesses with potential contractors that want to use Indigenous products and services.

This is the fourth year of the Business Showcase event, with growing awareness and participation from new Ktunaxa businesses each year. With support from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC), strategic improvements were made to the 2025 timeline and format.

What happens over the two days of the Showcase?

The program has evolved from a very small event in 2020 to the much larger one in 2025. It was held at St. Eugene’s Mission which is owned by the four Ktunaxa First Nations and the Shuswap Band.

The first day was a networking and tradeshow with 27 Ktunaxa businesses registered, and 25 teams representing 19 different industry partners including municipalities, private companies, public sector organizations and utilities in the region. We provided a “speed-dating” type of networking environment with private 10-minute meetings taking place between Ktunaxa businesses and government/industry to explore projects and procurement opportunities.

The second day was a public open house and artisan market where attendees could see and purchase Indigenous art and goods.

What did you do differently this year than in the past?

Past attendees told us the networking event on the first day was too short, so we extended it from a half day to a full day.

Day two was also extended from a half to a full day. While the number of artisans attending was greater than previous years, public attendance was down, likely due to the location (St. Eugene’s Mission) being 10 minutes out of Cranbrook and the fact it was held on a workday. Moving forward, we decided to host one event for industry networking and a separate event for artisan sales. We started this last December with a Christmas market to provide another opportunity for Ktunaxa artisans and makers to sell their products.

The ETSI-BC funding was invaluable. It supported the cost of the venue rental, accommodation, advertising, and booth kits for Ktunaxa businesses valued at approximately $900 for each business. We also upgraded the Ktunaxa Ready online business directory by adding artist portfolios to further promote the sixty-seven businesses listed.

Based on the work required to hold the Showcase every year and the time it can take for relationships to turn into contracts, the Showcase will now be held every two years with the next one taking place in 2027.

How do you measure the success of the event?

Financial outcomes are hard to quantify until a significant number of short and long-term contracts are realized, but strong connections are being made. Post-event surveys and comments from 2025 highlighted working relationships that started or evolved, and potential procurement opportunities are expected by Ktunaxa businesses.

Multiple contracts have taken place between KNC businesses and large organizations such as Elk Valley Resources (EVR) and BC Hydro. Several majority owned Ktunaxa joint ventures with community economic development organizations are also underway. In addition, EVR and Interior Health have made significant artwork purchases, and more are expected in 2026.

Showcasing the diverse capabilities of Ktunaxa companies in civil construction, environmental work, mining, transportation, and other industries is providing a valuable resource for contract fulfillment and new jobs will be created as the projects get underway.

Perhaps the greatest value is the resiliency realized by Ktunaxa businesses as they develop their own personal relationships with potential contractors. We expect the Showcase will be a powerful driver of the Ktunaxa economy for years to come.

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