Mi'kmaw communities launch gaming venture with purchase of 4 Alberta casinos

Five Mi'kmaw communities in Nova Scotia have come together to enter the world of casino gaming after successfully acquiring four casinos in Alberta.

The communities – Millbrook, Paqtnkek, We'koqoma'q, Glooscap and Annapolis Valley — purchased Pure Canadian Gaming, which operates casinos in Edmonton, Calgary and Lethbridge.

The newly formed collective, Indigenous Gaming Partners (IGP), aims to generate financial independence for each of the five Mi'kmaw communities involved.

Michael Peters, chair of IGP and member of Glooscap First Nation, said while each community operates smaller gaming initiatives like video lottery terminals, this acquisition marks a significant step into the larger gaming industry. 

"We're trying to not only expand by diversifying to new industries ... we've also diversified in our geography as well," Peters said. 

"The Alberta market is obviously a lot different than the Nova Scotia market so it does help us diversify our own source revenues into other areas."

Own source revenue is revenue Indigenous communities can generate from natural resources, business ventures, or any other income outside of federal funding managed under self-governance agreements.

Peters said the revenue will be invested back into each of the communities in areas such as housing, social programming, health care, and other essential services. 

Although IGP has no immediate plans to build casinos in Nova Scotia, Peters said the group is in "growth mode" and open to expanding, based on opportunities across Canada.

"Not only is this deal done, but other Mi'kmaw communities in Nova Scotia have been getting together on doing deals, may it be acquiring shipyards or may they be acquiring Clearwater seafoods or energy projects and hydrogen," said Peters.

"I think people are realizing that the Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq are really out there to do a lot of business and this is just another example of that." 

For Millbrook chief Bob Gloade, the deal represents economic reconciliation and something he believes will foster greater financial independence and self-sufficiency for the Mi'kmaw communities. 

"Our community, all our communities are going to be the direct beneficiaries of it," he said.

Each of the five bands holds an equal share in the venture and Gloade anticipates the financial benefits will become evident for communities within a year.

"The existing company already has a team, already has employees, they already have the corporations already set up," he said.

 "We're just acquiring that asset and their abilities."

Gloade said Millbrook has seen significant growth with past economic development opportunities like this, and generates over 70 per cent of the programs and services in the community from its own source revenue.

"This is just another piece of the pie that's basically going to help our community grow financially and there are other kinds of plans like this that are cooking up in the future," he said.