Saskatchewan Indigenous Business Gathering

Connecting Indigenous Businesses and Industry for a Stronger Saskatchewan

Date:

March 4, 2026

Location:

World Trade Centre Saskatoon at Prairieland Park | 503 Ruth Street West Saskatoon, SK S7K 4E4 | Get Directions

Overview

Join us in Saskatoon on March 4, 2026, for the 5th Annual Saskatchewan Indigenous Business Gathering (IBG). A premier event celebrating Indigenous entrepreneurship, innovation, and partnerships that drive economic growth across Saskatchewan.

IBG brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses, industry leaders, municipalities, and Crown corporations for a one-day trade show focused on partnership, procurement, and collaboration opportunities.

Hosted by the Government of Saskatchewan, the event showcases the vibrant and diverse capabilities of Indigenous-owned businesses and their contributions to the province’s economy.

The 2026 Indigenous Business Gathering is sold out. Please contact indigenous.ecdev@gov.sk.ca to be added to the waitlist.

Event Announcement Video

Attendees

0 +

Trade Show Booths

0 +

Indigenous Vendors

0 +

Speaker and Panelist Spotlights

Josh Montana

VP of Business Development and Strategy, George Gordon Developments

Josh Montana is a business leader from the George Gordon First Nation with over seven years of experience across the oil, gas, potash, and renewable energy sectors in Western Canada. He brings a strong background in operations, stakeholder engagement, governance, economic development, and Indigenous relations. As Vice President of Business Development and Strategy, Josh specializes in high-level negotiations, project development, advocacy, and corporate strategizing. He previously held the position of Vice President of Stewardship and Relations at Musqua Environmental Services (formerly WLCS), where he led initiatives that strengthened partnerships and advanced Indigenous inclusion in the energy and mining sector. Josh holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Commerce. He is the founder of the Montana Foundation and has served on the boards of several organizations, including Namerind Housing Corporation, George Gordon Minor Sports, SCEP Early Intervention Center. and GGFN TLE Holdings.

Dennis Esperance

President & CEO Willow Cree

As a highly experienced leader with over 40 years of experience working with Indigenous groups and industry, Dennis was appointed to the Willow Cree Development Corporation (WCDC) Board of Directors in 2017.

Prior to joining the WCDC team, Dennis spent 21 years at the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT), where he was part of the Management Team that secured legislation for SIIT from the Government of SK. Dennis also served as the Partnerships Manager with the Saskatoon Tribal Council’s Economic Development Department for 10 years. In 2014, he joined the Enbridge team, where he served as Indigenous Engagement Advisor on the Line 3 Replacement Program in Canada for Enbridge. Once L3RP was complete in Canada, he worked on the Line 5 Tunnel Project in Michigan, assisting the Enbridge Great Lakes Region Team with Tribal engagement.

Tina Rasmussen

CEO MLTC industrial Investments

Tina Rasmussen is from Green Lake, SK, and a proud member of the Flying Dust First Nation in Treaty 6 territory. She is dedicated to supporting her traditional homeland through environmental stewardship and advancing economic development for Indigenous communities.

Tina is the CEO of MLTC Industrial Investments, the economic development arm of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council. She holds a BA Advanced from the University of Saskatchewan, a Certificate in Local Government Authority from the University of Regina and is certified as both a Professional Economic Developer (Saskatchewan) and a Technical Aboriginal Economic Developer (TAED).

As CEO, Tina focuses on strengthening MLTC’s existing businesses and developing new partnerships and opportunities for MLTC members. The Tribal Council is active in sectors such as forestry, oil and gas, renewables, hospitality, agriculture, and broadband – ensuring diversification and a strong
presence in the provincial economy.

Rupen Pandya

President & CEO SaskPower

President & CEO SaskNuclear

Rupen Pandya became the President and Chief Executive Officer of SaskPower in 2022. He is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of SaskNuclear, the wholly-owned subsidiary of SaskPower that was created in 2024 to advance the province’s small modular reactor development project.

Before joining SaskPower, Mr. Pandya was the Deputy Minister of Finance and Secretary to Treasury Board for the Government of Saskatchewan.

He has more than 25 years of public service experience in Saskatchewan, including previous positions as the President and Chief Executive Officer of SaskBuilds, and Assistant Deputy Minister roles with the Ministry of the Economy and the Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration.

He holds Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Regina.

Cherish Jean-Baptiste

Manager of Staffing and Indigenous Relations Sask Gaming

In 2006, Cherish Jean-Baptiste graduated from the University of Regina in affiliation with the First Nations University of Canada with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, specializing in Marketing. In 2015, Cherish was selected as a CBC Saskatchewan Future 40 Under 40 Finalist, an awareness campaign which celebrates the province’s new generation of leaders, builders and change-makers. In that same year, Cherish was selected as the 2015 Outstanding Young Alumni Recipient for the University of Regina’s Crowning Alumni Achievement Awards.

Cherish works as the Manager of Staffing & Indigenous Relations at SaskGaming which operates Casinos Regina and Moose Jaw. She leads SaskGaming’s Indigenous Employment Strategy ensuring that the corporation is making progress in achieving the 50 per cent Indigenous employment target. Cherish was the past President of the First Nation & Métis Fund and a past Co-Chair of Crown Investment Corporation’s Advisory Council on Indigenous Reconciliation. In her career in the public service, she has led in the development of strategic priorities for the Crown sector; managed Indigenous training, scholarship and procurement programs/policies; and was a past Chair of the Aboriginal Government Employees’ Network. On a volunteer level, Cherish has been a past Chair and continues to be a member of the First Nations University of Canada’s Annual Spring Celebration Powwow Committee.

Cherish is passionate about economic reconciliation, leadership development and mentorship opportunities that help to build a skilled workforce in Saskatchewan. Cherish lives in Regina and is
a member of the Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation.

Jada Yee

Co-Founder 7 Arrows Indigenous Consulting Group

Jada Yee is the Co-Founder of 7 Arrows Indigenous Consulting Group in Regina and serves as Indigenous Executive in Residence at the Hill & Levene Schools of Business, University of Regina, and as Cultural Advisor for the RCMP Depot Division. He proudly represents his Wood Mountain Lakota Sioux Nation roots and Chinese-Canadian heritage. With over 20 years of leadership experience, including senior executive roles in the casino gaming industry and as Vice President of Operations for a Tribal Council, Jada brings deep expertise in governance, operations, and community impact.

Jada is an active community leader, having served on numerous boards, including five years on the Regina Police Service Board, making history as its first civilian Chair and as a National Director with the Canadian Association for Police Governance. He is a passionate advocate for Reconciliation and equity, raising over $20,000 for an LGBTQ2SA+ youth homeless shelter through a celebrity drag fundraiser.

His contributions have been recognized with the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, King Charles Coronation Medal, University of Regina Humanitarian & Community Service Award, and CTV Regina’s 2023 Citizen of the Year. Jada holds a Bachelor of Administration from First Nations University of Canada, a Master of Administration, and will begin his PhD journey in 2026.

Agenda Overview

Get the most out of your day with a tradeshow and panels focused on Indigenous business development, partnership opportunities, and supply chain growth.

Additional information will be provided soon.

IBG Reception – Tuesday, March 3, 2026 (Louis' Saskatoon, 93 Campus Drive)

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Food & Networking

6:30 PM – 6:40 PM

Welcome from New Feathers Industrial

Indigenous Business Gathering – Wednesday, March 4, 2026

8:00 AM

Registration Opens

8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Trade Show & Networking (George Gordon Developments Hall - Hall B)

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Opening Remarks

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Lunch

1:00 PM – 1:15 PM

Keynote Remarks: SaskPower/SaskNuclear President & CEO Rupen Pandya

1:15 PM – 2:00 PM

Panel Discussion, Presented by the Saskatchewan Crown Investment Corporation: Terry Bird, Dennis Esperance & Tina Rasmussen

2:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Trade Show & Networking (George Gordon Developments Hall - Hall B)

Marketplace and Vendor Highlights

Explore the Indigenous Marketplace, featuring artisans, crafters, and product creators from across Saskatchewan. From fine art and fashion to locally made goods, the Marketplace celebrates entrepreneurship and cultural pride.

Vendor space is limited, so if you are interested, please contact us at Indigenous.ecdev@gov.sk.ca.

Vendor Name

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque sollicitudin, augue et sodales fermentum, ante turpis fringilla est, a accumsan odio metus sit amet nulla. Sed vitae odio est.

Vendor Name

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque sollicitudin, augue et sodales fermentum, ante turpis fringilla est, a accumsan odio metus sit amet nulla. Sed vitae odio est.

Vendor Name

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque sollicitudin, augue et sodales fermentum, ante turpis fringilla est, a accumsan odio metus sit amet nulla. Sed vitae odio est.

Trade Show Gallery

Testimonials

Absolute highlight every year is networking. Opportunities to work and connect together, nation-to-nation development, new connections within the government, the smiles that you see. It’s a wonderful event. The goal is to walk away from the day with opportunities, it’s really exciting and great to see something like this happening.

The connections formed here at IBG translate into real partnerships, contracts, and growth opportunities that might otherwise never materialize. By bringing Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses together, we're not just networking—we're actively reshaping Saskatchewan's economic landscape to be more inclusive and innovative.

The IBG is critical for Indigenous businesses. I've been coming since this began, and I saw it grow from a couple hundred people to now 1,200. You can see relationships forming. You're watching partnerships being built. This is where the work gets done. And there's something in it for all of us.

This is one of my favourite events of the year, because everybody shows up, prepared to talk about the services they provide, talk about the opportunities, connect informally over coffee. We have nations and Métis communities and representation from the northern most part of our province to the southern most part, east to the west. And everybody's in the same room together.

Fequently Asked Questions

Who will be at the Indigenous Business Gathering?

Indigenous Economic Development Corporations and Indigenous-owned companies looking for supply chain, procurement and joint business partnership opportunities;
Multinational companies looking to connect with Indigenous-owned companies for procurement, supply chain and joint ventures;
Saskatchewan Crown corporations looking for Indigenous companies for their procurement and supply chain needs; and,
Municipalities interested in utilizing more Indigenous-owned businesses in their current and future procurement plans.

What will the gathering be like?

Attendees can look forward to an event highlighting Indigenous business leadership, fostering partnerships and investment opportunities. Join us for a day of connection, networking, and celebration of Indigenous business success in Saskatchewan.

Is there a cost to attend the gathering?

There is no cost to register for this event. However tickets are limited, and the event has sold out each year.

Will there be tradeshow booths?

Booths are available for Indigenous-owned businesses and economic development corporations, non-Indigenous businesses, organizations and municipalities looking for partnerships in procurement, supply chain and joint venture opportunities. Please contact Indigenous.ecdev@gov.sk.ca to request a booth. All individuals working a trade show booth must registered for a ticket.

Supporting Initiatives

The Government of Saskatchewan has initiatives to support the growth of Indigenous business in the province:

The Saskatchewan Indigenous Investment Finance Corporation (SIIFC) provides loan guarantees for Indigenous equity in large-scale natural resource and value-added agriculture projects. Learn more at siifc.ca.
The Government of Saskatchewan connects Indigenous businesses with industries, investors, and key partners to enhance supply chain participation and stimulate business growth, particularly in sectors like natural resources, mining, construction, agriculture, and manufacturing.