Victoria LaBillois made history in 2011 as the first Mi’gmaq woman to operate a construction company and conduct business beyond her First Nations community of Listuguj, Quebec.
When she launched Wejipeg Excavation, however, she had few people to turn to for advice. Without an established mentor to guide her through the challenges of running a construction company, she had to learn much of the business through trial and error.
“I had to learn pretty much everything from scratch,” LaBillois said.
Her master’s degree in business administration provided a foundation, but she still had to navigate Quebec’s regulatory agencies, develop pricing models and establish relationships within construction networks.
“It was a lot of investment of time and energy to figure out a lot of things. I was flying blind.”
Looking back, LaBillois believes having a mentor could have significantly shortened that learning curve.
“I’m sure it could have saved me hundreds of hours and given me some confidence early on.”
Now an established contractor, LaBillois wants younger Indigenous entrepreneurs to have access to the guidance she lacked when she started.
That is one reason she is participating in the third annual Rezolution Summit, taking place Aug. 11 and 12 in Toronto. The conference focuses on Indigenous wealth creation and economic sovereignty, with mentorship forming an important part of this year’s program.
Building networks through mentorship
Organizers have encouraged delegates to bring their mentees to the summit. LaBillois will also lead a pre-summit workshop for new entrepreneurs focused on the importance of social capital and how professional networks can contribute to the success of young businesses.
She plans to share practical advice on building those networks and expects participants to put the lessons into practice during the event.
While LaBillois believes young entrepreneurs in remote Indigenous communities may face fewer barriers today than previous generations, she continues to view mentorship as essential to building successful businesses.
She also points to the growing number of support systems available in remote Indigenous communities. Economic development officers and Indigenous financial institutions now provide businesses with access to regional and national resources, particularly in areas such as financial literacy and business practices.
Entrepreneurship has deep roots
LaBillois also wants young Indigenous business owners to recognize that entrepreneurship is not a new concept for First Nations communities.
“We had well-established trade routes across the continent,” she said. “I tell them we always knew how to save and invest. It’s not new, it is just getting back to it.”
Her own career spans roughly two decades in an Indigenous public service role before she entered the construction industry.
During that time, and throughout her career as an entrepreneur, she encountered numerous barriers. She identifies racism as the most significant challenge.
While operating Wejipeg Excavation, she recalls being referred to as “the Indian loader.” On another occasion, a fuel company refused to provide her with an account because, according to LaBillois, the company said it did not “deal with the Reserve.”
She also says Indigenous businesses can face difficulties accessing insurance.
LaBillois believes awareness of these issues is increasing, but says racism is still rarely discussed until it directly affects a business.
Her response has consistently been to keep moving forward.
“I’m just here to do my thing, Get the job done.”
More opportunities for Indigenous women
LaBillois says she never considered being a woman a barrier to working in construction. However, she acknowledges that gender inequality remains an issue in an industry that has been slow to change compared with other sectors.
Conditions for women are improving, she says.
Approximately 23% of Indigenous businesses are operated by Indigenous women, according to figures cited by LaBillois, with Indigenous women-led companies growing faster than non-Indigenous women-led businesses.
She also sees Indigenous youth as an important part of the solution to Canada’s labour shortages.
Indigenous people represent the country’s largest demographic under the age of 25, and connecting more young people with training and employment opportunities could help address workforce shortages.
“It’s a solution that is often overlooked.”
Indigenous businesses poised for further growth
Over the next decade, LaBillois expects to see Indigenous businesses expand across a wider range of industries.
She anticipates greater Indigenous participation in major projects, including through equity partnerships.
“I see more equity participation in large projects…We’re making strides and my hope is that this becomes normal and that we don’t need to have a special policy to hire Indigenous workers or to engage with Indigenous businesses.”
With Indigenous businesses contributing almost $50 billion annually to Canada’s economy, LaBillois remains optimistic about the direction of the business landscape.
“I’m very encouraged about the positive changes in the landscape.”
