The Ontario Metis Aboriginal Association (OMAA), based in Sault Ste. Marie, has received a $75,000 contribution from the federal government for the continued operation and maintenance of its Aboriginal Business Service Network (ABSN) host site.
ABSN is a $6.4-million component of the $21-million national Aboriginal Business Development Initiative announced by the Ministry of Industry in April 1999. It's designed to improve business development opportunities for aboriginal people and create partnerships between aboriginal and federal partners.
OMAA represents the interests of about 200,000 Metis and off-reserve a boriginal people throughout Ontario and opened its first ABSN host site in late 1999.
ABSN provides improved access to general business information, pathfinding and counselling services, as well as a variety of business tools for aboriginal businesses throughout Canada. The site complements existing OMAA services by providing online access to more than 1,400 programs and services offered by federal, provincial and, in some instances, municipal governments.