The purpose of the Indigenous Procurement Policy was to integrate BCLC’s commitment to Indigenous reconciliation, to support Indigenous economic development, foster partnerships and ensure equitable opportunities by increasing the participation of Indigenous-owned businesses in our procurement process. One year after BCLC implemented our Indigenous Procurement Policy, we’ve onboarded nine new Indigenous vendors —more than doubling the Indigenous vendors from the previous reporting year.
One of the reasons for this increase is the result of BCLC’s partnership with the City of Kamloops, Scwén̓wen Economic Development Corporation and Thompson Rivers University. The four organizations make up the Indigenous Procurement Working group and together collaborate to host two Indigenous Vendor events per year in Kamloops, where many of BCLC’s connections with vendors have been established.
We have experienced so much learning on this journey, and I am grateful to those that shared insights with me. Should you be on a journey to increase spend with Indigenous vendors, here are some learnings from our journey:
1. Join or start a network
No one person or organization has all the answers at any given time. Being part of a broader network leverages resources, ideas, and relationships and streamlines communication. We dream bigger and are more ambitious in a group, so find other organizations that are committed to economic reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples so you can learn together.
2. Discuss new ideas within your network
One of our success stories came from a conversation with Scwén̓wen Economic Development Corporation. When BCLC needed a bulk gift card reseller, they connected us to Sweláps Market—a grocery store operated by Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc.
Together, BCLC and Sweláps Market piloted a new line of business that they’ve continued to grow.
3. Know that hitting your milestones will take time
While metrics matter, tying traditional goals to economic reconciliation and Indigenous procurement is complex. If you are listening, learning and following through on commitments made to vendors, the opportunities and success will come.
4. Be stewards of the process
Our colleagues at BCLC are open and excited to work with Indigenous vendors and enthusiastic that we have a policy in place that enables that. While our procurement team doesn’t make most of the purchasing decisions, we are stewards of the process and policies for the organization to make an impact with our corporate spend.
This year, BCLC’s vendor list has expanded to include businesses offering office supplies, flooring, IT consulting, retail goods, delivery, shipping and more. This momentum is a strong signal that we’re moving in the right direction—and it motivates us to keep going.
