Building a Better Future for Business
About Us
NEDC strives to assist Aboriginal’s make their dreams come true and build a better future for business! NEDC provides financing and business support to Aboriginals on Vancouver Island. Call 250.724.3131 (Port Alberni) 1.866.444.6332
Helping Aboriginal people start, acquire and expand businesses, NEDC services are offered to all Aboriginal people within the Nuu-chah-nulth territory — free of charge. Some programs are offered throughout Vancouver Island. If an Aboriginal person needs services outside of the service area, NEDC will do their best to put that person into contact with the organisation that provides similar services in that locality.
NEDC partners with several organizations to deliver the best funding package to their clients. Some programs are run in cooperation with Aboriginal Business Canada (ABC) and can be found on the ABC website (www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ps/abc/index-eng.asp) or from the links on the NEDC website through the NEDC Business Equity Program webpage (www.nedc.info/bep.php). Some of NEDC’s other partners include Western Economic Diversification, the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Business Development Bank of Canada, and the New Relationship Trust.
NEDC was incorporated in 1984 to assist Nuu-chah-nulth to achieve economic and social independence through the contributions of financial assistance and advisory services to individuals and tribal business development initiatives. In 1997 eligibility was expanded to include all Aboriginal peoples residing and operating (or proposing to) on Vancouver Island. NEDC is incorporated under the Canada Corporation Act as a not-for-profit organization. The corporation is exempt from income tax under section 149 of the Canadian Income Tax Act.