OTTAWA — A new institute is in the works that would track Indigenous economic prosperity in Canada by collecting data on population, businesses, land and resources.

The First Nations University of Canada announced today that it will set up the centre with help from two foundations.

University president Jacqueline Ottmann says Indigenous communities can prosper when they track and manage their own data.

The Mastercard Foundation is putting forward $6 million over five years, while the McConnell Foundation is adding another $1.5 million over the same time frame.

Jennifer Brennan, the director of Canada programs at the Mastercard Foundation, says the institute will show how the country benefits from a strong Indigenous economy.

The 2022 National Indigenous Economic Strategy drafted by 20 Indigenous organizations recommended that the new research body be established to track countrywide data.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2024.

The Canadian Press