Why Indigenous-owned financial firms are joining forces with the country’s biggest banks –
November 13th, 2025
Indigenous-owned financial firms are beginning to make their mark in Canada, contributing to First Nations’ pursuit of economic self-determination. Take Longhouse Capital Partners, a Vancouver-based, Indigenous-owned asset manager. Founded in 2022, Longhouse is now raising capital to build a $1-billion fund dedicated to financing major infrastructure projects for First Nations communities, such as transmission lines and wireless towers.
According to Fred Di Blasio, co-founder of Longhouse Capital Partners and a proud member of the Huron-Wendat Nation, the firm is already two-thirds of the way to their first target of $300 million. He and his team are advancing their goal with help from a major Canadian bank: In April 2025, CIBC and Longhouse announced a strategic relationship, with the bank introducing clients who may invest in Longhouse.
