ESUPPLY CANADA SECURES $1.1-MILLION INVESTMENT FROM FEDDEV ONTARIO TO DEVELOP REVENUE GENERATION PLATFORM FOR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
SAUGEEN FIRST NATION, ON, Sept. 11, 2023 /CNW/ - eSupply Canada, a national Indigenous-owned distributor specializing in business and industrial supplies, is pleased to announce a significant milestone in its mission to enhance Indigenous economic development. The company has received a non-dilutive investment of more than $1 million from the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). This strategic investment will help drive job creation and the development of an innovative revenue generation platform for Indigenous communities to address economic leakage and participate in local supply chains and national procurement.
Established in 2020, eSupply Canada was founded with the vision of providing Indigenous communities, industries, governments and Canadians with an Indigenous alternative to big-box retailers.
With the support from FedDev Ontario, eSupply Canada will launch a tech-enabled revenue generation platform tailored for Indigenous communities, offering access to an extensive catalogue of over 1.2 million products spanning office supplies, janitorial supplies, technology, and industrial supplies—all the supplies communities, businesses and governments need to operate.
"Today's announcement celebrates the incredible potential of an Indigenous-led business, eSupply Canada. This support helps them grow and enables them to provide meaningful opportunities for Indigenous communities and entrepreneurs. The Government of Canada will continue to work with Indigenous businesses and communities so they can reach their potential and create new possibilities," said the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.
This platform will offer communities their own branded portal that can be used to recoup revenue from internal purchases while simultaneously driving sales revenue through direct and online sales and national procurement efforts, thereby addressing both economic leakage and reconciliation.
Notably, the platform's dropship model eliminates the need for communities to hold inventory or warehouse products, as everything is fulfilled through eSupply Canada and its supply chain.
Steven Vanloffeld, CEO of eSupply Canada, expressed his enthusiasm for the project at the funding announcement. "This investment arrives at a pivotal moment when industry, governments, and Canadians are actively seeking ways to participate in reconciliation," said Vanloffeld. "Through our platform, we create a digital bridge for Indigenous communities and Canadians to join forces and drive economic reconciliation forward. The platform is slated to launch in the fall of 2023. "
With this Government of Canada investment, eSupply Canada will offer the base subscription of the platform free of charge to all Indigenous communities across Canada. Additionally, the Government of Canada investment will support the creation of eight new jobs to manage the company's growth and ensure Indigenous communities receive the necessary support to successfully operate their portals.
eSupply Canada is a national Indigenous-owned distributor of business and industrial supplies. We streamline the purchase of goods across multiple product categories through a convenient one-stop-shop e-commerce portal, providing industries, governments and Canadians with an Indigenous alternative to big-box retailers.
For 14 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada's most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario's Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
SOURCE eSupply Canada
For media inquiries or additional information, please contact: Ana Fernandez, eSupply Canada, [email protected], (866) 559-2233 x 1002; Edward Hutchinson, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, [email protected]
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