History of Aboriginal Insurance Services
Where
Are We Going
Our vision was to bring a level playing field to all First Nations communities across Canada.
Over the past 30 years we have listened to our Indigenous friends, colleagues, and communities about how we could them a hand up. Understanding the gaps between an Indigenous Community and
a Non-Indigenous Communities. We have studied these differences and over the past 30 years we have attempted to close those gaps, some with great success.
Aboriginal Insurance Services (AIS) evolved out of the relationships and the internal insurance expertise of the shareholders. AIS as a managing general agency is proud to have pioneered the closing of these gaps, such as Chief and Council (Directors and Officers) Insurance, Legal Expense to include Police Cover, Master Tenants Coverage, Burial Coverage and so much more. We believed that this was more than a program on a shelf, that it and the clients deserved better. The Indigenous Communities agreed.
The evolution of Aboriginal Environmental Response Services (AERS) came into being out of an understanding that you can not possibly understand a community without setting foot in it. Simply completing an internet search will never give you the full story of the community or its people. Through AERS we were able to develop and tailor the underwriting analytics and benchmark them against each other (not the city of Toronto). We were able to place boots on the ground and visit almost every single community AIS writes. We were able to see deficiencies and help the community to fix them. We gather current information and stay in contact for changes. This company has become an extremely valuable asset to AIS and to Nativelands.
Nativelands was borne out of an ongoing discussion with Phil Monture. Phil, at the time was blazing the trail with the Six Nations land and trust claims against the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. Understanding that Six Nations is fortunate in its resources to further their claims, he asked if there was a way to help other Indigenous Communities across Canada who have the same claims. Through tremendous research and development work over the past 20 years, Nativelands was born. Designing a policy that was the first of its kind in the world, the Indigenous community finally has the ability to bring their voice and their claim forward.
Nexiis, is the heartbeat of Nativelands, Nexiis provides the vendor relationships, to the clients that the program requires to get the clients claims to the finish line. From researchers and community planning support to facilitation and mentorship, through the Navigators program, this company is the liaison to the community and its supporting vendors.
Nexiis directly supports Nativelands by buying services, those services include AERS. Since AERS is already in the community supporting AIS, Nexiis has asked AERS to gather information for them as well. AERS and Nexiis both support community mentorship through their Ambassador and Navigator programs respectively.
The ultimate goal is to always leave something better than you found it. We feel no different with our clients and communities. Through Nexiis we will identify a Community Plan. This custom plan will be put together based on the needs assessment of the community, together with the information gathered by AERS, this will become part of the budget that Nativelands looks to implement with the Insurer and Financier, from this an economic development plan is put into action. Nexiis will then look to AIS and its partner brokers to insure these economic milestones in order for the community to achieve its plan and become a better place to live and raise a family.
As you can appreciate, the intersection of the companies is of vast importance as without one, the others would not be properly supported and the realization of the vision would be incomplete. These companies were formed out of identified needs in giving First Nations communities the best-in-class service and product offering. Always.
A Shared Commitment to Investing in First Nations Communities
Aboriginal Insurance Services is Just Built Different
A Shared Commitment to Investing in Communities
Over the next few years, the Government of Canada proposes to invest $1.2 billion in support of social infrastructure in Indigenous Nations, Inuit, and northern communities.
The proposed investments are part of the first phase of a 10-year plan to invest in social infrastructure and position Canada for sustained long-term, inclusive growth.
The second phase of this plan will include additional investments in social infrastructure for First Nations communities.
Investments in infrastructure can contribute to improving the quality of life of First Nations communities by ensuring quality housing, improved access to early learning and childcare, better health, cultural and recreational infrastructure.
Across the country, Indigenous people are bypassing barriers to participating in Canada’s prosperity by becoming involved in projects that improve their members’ daily lives and build revenue for their communities. Many success stories exist of Indigenous Nations addressing the financing, capacity, scale, policy limitations, jurisdiction questions, and project timeline challenges to initiate infrastructure that will benefit their communities and the greater Canadian economy.
Canada’s vision of prosperity and opportunity for all will be achieved only when Indigenous people are fully included as active participants in the national economy. It is time for Canada to embrace and accept the notable infrastructure successes that Indigenous Nations have demonstrated.
AIS is at the forefront in protecting these investments for - and with - our clients
Rather than forcing our clients into products and programs that don’t fit their actual coverage requirements, we take the time to learn what each community needs; how it functions, how it operates, what the biggest vulnerabilities are, and we start from there. Our programs are flexible and built to grow along with the community.
Representing so many different communities has provided us with an invaluable understanding of the historical and cultural differences among individual communities and how these differences contribute to the overall decision-making of each community.
First Nations communities across Canada face unique challenges when it comes to managing risks associated with natural disasters, especially. In order to ensure that these vulnerable communities are protected, the AIS and its subsidiaries have set an ambitious goals to bring down the risk profile of First Nation clients and communities to that of non-First Nations communities across the country. Achieving this goal requires a multifaceted approach that involves enrolling clients in key programs, appointing full-time ambassadors, and encouraging active participation in risk mitigation initiatives.
Our programs are designed to educate and prepare community members in creating a sustainable and healthy environment in which to live. First Nations’ cultures, traditions, and ways of life are unique to each nation and arrangements must be made to ensure they’re protected and safe while simultaneously nurturing their heritage and their cultures.
The idea for each program that AIS and its subsidiaries created were done out of necessity. Recognizing gaps in training, education, and processes, AIS has developed a multitude of programs to help improve First Nations’ lives, one community at a time.