Chippewas of the Thames First Nation leading development of a First Nations Sovereign Wealth Fund to advance economic sovereignty and self-determination
CHIPPEWAS OF THE THAMES FIRST NATION (November 5, 2025) – Chippewas of the Thames First Nation is leading the development of a First Nations Sovereign Wealth Fund, a rights-holder governed investment platform designed to enable meaningful First Nations participation in Canada’s economy.
As demonstrated by the Government of Canada’s Building Canada Strong: Budget 2025 and recent legislation from both Canada and Ontario, governments are accelerating the development of major infrastructure and resource projects. The need for First Nations to be early and equitable partners in this process has never been greater. The proposed First Nations Sovereign Wealth Fund provides a practical mechanism for collective investment and ownership, ensuring that First Nations can participate as investors and decision-makers in projects within their traditional territories, contributing to economic sovereignty and self-determination. The Fund will provide a pathway to generate own-source revenue and make Nation-directed investments in community priorities.
The First Nations Sovereign Wealth Fund will bring together a coalition of First Nations across Ontario and will be designed as a scalable model for future expansion across Canada. It will pool capital from participating Nations, governments, and private investors to finance projects in priority sectors such as clean and nuclear energy, critical minerals, manufacturing, and housing.
“The First Nations Sovereign Wealth Fund represents a new path forward for economic reconciliation,” stated Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Chief Joe Miskokomon. “It is about First Nations leading investment decisions, building intergenerational wealth, and ensuring that growth in Canada’s economy includes the rights holders of this land.”
The First Nations Sovereign Wealth Fund is a new model to advance economic self-determination and sustainable growth. It promotes early and active participation of First Nations in key economies while grounding investment decisions in cultural guardianship and the Seven Generations principle, ensuring that all investments strengthen community well-being, respect the land, and create lasting prosperity.
For more information, please contact:
Kodi Chrisjohn-Deleary
Stakeholder Relations Manager
Chippewas of the Thames First Nation
kodi.deleary@cottfn.com
226-919-7160