Caribbean Indigenous Women Entrepreneurs Join Canada Trade Mission

Eight Indigenous women entrepreneurs from Belize, Dominica, and Jamaica are set to visit Canada as part of a specialized trade mission led by the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export). The initiative is being conducted under the Generating Resilient and Inclusive Trade for Caribbean Women Entrepreneurs (GRIT) project, with funding from Global Affairs Canada.

Scheduled for October 26 to November 4, 2026, the mission will feature Indigenous women-owned businesses operating in beauty and personal care, botanical products, sustainable agriculture, agro-processing, artisan crafts, fashion, and cultural tourism. Participants will attend business-to-business meetings, explore potential markets, exchange knowledge, and network with industry stakeholders in Winnipeg and Toronto to better understand Canadian market requirements and identify export opportunities.

The program will also enable Canadian buyers, businesses, and Indigenous business networks to engage with Caribbean entrepreneurs and learn about their products and services. By encouraging collaboration and exploring new commercial partnerships, the mission aims to strengthen trade relations, investment opportunities, and knowledge sharing between Canada and the Caribbean.

Key Highlights:

• Eight Indigenous women entrepreneurs from Belize, Dominica, and Jamaica join a Canada trade mission
• The delegation attends the World Indigenous Business Forum in Winnipeg and business meetings in Toronto
• The mission aims to expand export opportunities and strengthen Canada–Caribbean trade partnerships

The mission is a key element in efforts to strengthen export readiness of women entrepreneurs, to look at concrete opportunities for trade between the Caribbean and Canada, and to develop trade relations between the two regions.

The delegation will kick off its mission in Winnipeg at the World Indigenous Business Forum (WIBF), led by Her Excellency Brenda Wills, High Commissioner of Canada to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, in collaboration with Dr. Damie Sinanan, Executive Director of Caribbean Export.

By joining WIBF, they will help to strengthen the significance of international cooperation in support of the economic empowerment of Indigenous women and access to global markets. The delegation will then head to Toronto for a series of focused business meetings aimed at leveraging the contacts made in Winnipeg, gaining insight into the Canadian market and exploring trade and commercial opportunities.

She noted the significance of the mission, emphasizing the need to further build economic connections between Indigenous business owners in the Caribbean and Canada.

“This mission is a win-win for everyone. Entrepreneurs from the Caribbean indigenous population are looking for customers, partners and investors. It's a chance for Canadian companies to meet with innovative business leaders, explore exceptional products and services, and foster new relationships for expanding trade, investment and knowledge sharing between our regions.

These connections will help to drive the strengthening of the emerging economic relationship between Canada and the Caribbean while also providing opportunities for businesses and communities to grow in both territories.

The eight entrepreneurs are from a variety of types of enterprises, including products and services based on indigenous knowledge, natural resources and the cultural heritage which are unique to them, and are aimed at the international market.