Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO) and the Tourism Innovation Lab launch new program

By Rick Garrick

AUNDECK OMNI KANING — Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO) and the Tourism Innovation Lab have launched the Indigenous Culinary Tourism Skode Program to inspire Indigenous entrepreneurs, businesses, non-profits, and community groups to present their new Indigenous culinary ideas. An information session about the fifth edition of the Skode Program, which features a Finalist’s Pitch Session in February and a Live Pitch Session at the Little NHL in March where the grand prize winner is selected, is scheduled for Dec. 12 at 11:30 a.m., with the deadline to apply on Jan. 15. Information is available online.

“It’s kind of like a tourism Dragon’s Den,” says Lisa-Marie Lavallee, operations lead and executive support at ITO. “We have participants that submit applications with their new ideas, they sit in front of a panel of judges and from that winners are selected. We bring those finalists on to a Live Pitch that we do at the Little NHL — they’ll do a Live Pitch in front of a different set of judges from which a grand prize winner is selected.”

Lavallee says the three finalists are provided with $5,000 in non-repayable seed funding towards their new business, initiative, or program idea, as well as a three-month mentorship with a tourism innovator, experienced operator, industry leader, and/or sector expert. The grand prize winner also receives an additional $20,000.

“With this new edition of the Skode Program, we are excited to support continued tourism innovation, shed light on different career paths, and inspire Indigenous youth to follow their passions,” says Kevin Eshkawkogan, president and CEO at ITO.

Justin Lafontaine, program lead at the Tourism Innovation Lab, says they are excited to collaborate once again with ITO to spark new Indigenous culinary entrepreneurs and initiatives in the province through the Skode Program.

“We’re super excited that this round specifically is focused around developing Indigenous culinary tourism entrepreneurs and experiences,” Lafontaine says, noting that ITO recently launched the FEAST: Growing Indigenous Food Tourism in Ontario program, which is a strategy to guide Indigenous food tourism development in Ontario. “So the programs kind of flow nicely together … with the goal to expand the Indigenous culinary tourism entrepreneurs and offerings throughout the province and also to celebrate and promote traditional Indigenous foodways and inspire visitors to explore Indigenous food and culture.”

Scott Mercs, an Indigenous business advisor with ITO, says one of the components of the FEAST program is to market authentic Indigenous food and beverage experiences in Ontario.

“The second component is a certification process where applicants will go through a certification process to get their business market ready and FEAST certified, which means they serve authentic Indigenous food and are culturally respectful,” Mercs says.

ITO and the Tourism Innovation Lab are looking for applicants who have new Indigenous culinary tourism ideas that align with the ITO’s Feast Program objectives: to celebrate and promote traditional Indigenous foodways; inspire visitors to explore Indigenous food and culture; offer high quality, authentic Indigenous culinary experiences; and involve collaborations and partnerships with other Indigenous-led businesses and/or organizations.

The 2023 Skode Program winners were Sarah Sproule, for her Wayeshkad business idea; Tyler French, for his CELEBRATION: Event Facility and Museum idea; and Mario Gionet, for his Walk Among The Trees idea.

“The Skode Program’s actually helped us out a lot with the mentorship, with everything, helping us build our business to what it is now,” Gionet says in a video about his business on the website. “It showed that we could do this, get our business going. It really helped us tremendously. We’re actually honoured that we were picked and continue to get help from them. I just spoke from my heart, I want to share what I know to other people and if it helps them, then I know I’m doing a good thing. I spoke from the heart, and Skode, that’s what it means, fire within.”