Northern Entrepreneurship

The report analyzes entrepreneurship in Northern Canada, noting that while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs) dominate the business landscape in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, they face distinct obstacles compared to southern businesses. It highlights the intersection of northern entrepreneurship with social and environmental goals and explores 'indigenous economics,' which emphasizes community values and holistic wealth over simple profit. The document argues that fostering a 'creative class' and improving local capacity and infrastructure are essential for sustainable economic development in the region.

• Small, micro, and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs) constitute nearly all business activity in Canada's northern territories, though their share of total employment is lower than their share of business ownership.
• Northern entrepreneurs often prioritize social and environmental values over profit, with some adopting 'indigenous economics' which views wealth through a holistic and reciprocal lens.
• Indigenous entrepreneurship differs from Western models because it is often more collective and tied to traditional activities, with a strong emphasis on community-based development rather than individual growth.
• Northern entrepreneurs face significant structural and systemic obstacles, including inadequate infrastructure, limited access to risk capital, and a lack of formal management training.
• The prevalence of 'megaprojects' in non-renewable resource development creates a challenging environment for local entrepreneurs, who often lack the scale, experience, or information to compete for contracts.
• Inuit entrepreneurs face the specific challenge of intellectual property theft, where non-authentic reproductions of traditional arts and crafts by non-Inuit undermine their market.
• Economic growth in the Canadian North may be driven by the development of a 'creative class'—including scientists, entrepreneurs, leaders, and bohemians—provided this is supported by community-based, bottom-up approaches.

APA

Walker, K., & Buckler, C. (2009). Northern Entrepreneurship. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/northern_entrepreneurship.pdf

Chicago

Walker, Katherine, and Carolee Buckler. Northern Entrepreneurship. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2009. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/northern_entrepreneurship.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Walker |first1=Katherine |last2=Buckler |first2=Carolee |title=Northern Entrepreneurship |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=February 2009 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/northern_entrepreneurship.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{walker2009northern, author = {Walker, Katherine and Buckler, Carolee}, title = {{Northern Entrepreneurship}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2009}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/northern_entrepreneurship.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }