Alexander First Nation: Economic empowerment, reconciliation and self-determination
Alexander First Nation is located 56 km northwest of Edmonton and is part of Treaty 6 and 8 territories. Its development corporation, Alexander Business Centre LP, has been busy since its creation in 2018, making targeted investments to create economically diverse companies that generate jobs and long-term returns for the community.
From construction and commercial development to industrial manufacturing and energy, Alexander Business Centre LP (ABC) is now operating 14 companies that employ many members of Alexander First Nation. Some companies operate in manufacturing sectors where no other First Nations are present.
ABC’s CEO Ian Arcand, a proud member of Alexander First Nation, says that breaking ground in new markets has been a deliberate strategy, despite elevated risk and reluctance from financial institutions to provide financing.
“Our slogan is forward thinking,” says Arcand. “We focus on industries and businesses that First Nations don’t normally get involved into. We want to get in there and become a leader in those spaces. This has been our mandate from the beginning.”
Half of our revenues go back into our community. When we invest wisely and grow, all the people who call Alexander home benefit.
Ian Arcand
CEO, Alexander Business Centre LP
Making bold moves into new markets
ABC’s latest undertaking is Alexander Tubular, an Edmonton-based company founded in 2023, when ABC was looking for avenues to grow and diversify its operations. Working with Tony Quinlan, a veteran leader in the resource sector with whom the Nation had already collaborated in the past, ABC decided to expand into manufacturing high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes.
Known for their durability and flexibility, HDPE pipes are used in a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, agriculture, mining, telecom and municipal water services. HDPE pipes are made from a combination of virgin resin and a component of recycled resin, and have a life expectancy between 50 to 100 years.
With BDC’s financing support, Alexander Tubular started manufacturing pipe in 2024, becoming the first HDPE pipe manufacturer in Canada that is First Nation-owned.
“BDC was instrumental in helping us get going,” says Tony Quinlan, who’s been the CEO of Alexander Tubular since its inception in 2023. “They knocked down roadblocks and trusted us from the outset.”
BDC is not a traditional bank. It is a unique entity with a powerful value proposition. They will bet on your potential, even when the risks seem high. Fast-forward two years since they gave us our first loan: we’re going through an expansion.
Tony Quinlan
CEO, Alexander Tubular
Sales have multiplied by four since Alexander Tubular’s founding. With a strong and clear growth plan ahead, the company is getting ready to add a new production line to manufacture larger-diameter pipes in its 40,000-square-foot Edmonton facility. Financed by a second loan from BDC, the line will be operational in early 2026 and is one of the latest pieces of the puzzle to “compete with any HDPE pipe manufacturer in Canada,” says Quinlan.
Manufacturing HDPE pipe wasn’t the first foray into unchartered territory for Alexander Business Centre LP. Ian Arcand and Tony Quinlan first started their collaboration in 2020 with another business acquisition that ultimately became Alexander Valve & Supply—the only community-owned First Nation industrial-grade valve distributor for the oil and gas industry. Quinlan was Alexander Valve’s first CEO which saw sales quadruple within 18 months of the acquisition. He then pivoted to support the establishment of Alexander Chemical, a manufacturer and distributor of specialized chemical products.
“Tony has spent his career in the energy supply chain; he has expertise and industry know-how. This was a big plus for us when we decided to go ahead in these sectors,” explains Arcand.
Business success that honours Indigenous heritage
Indigenous Peoples should be present in every industry, especially resources development, says Arcand. “You got to create your own revenue stream,” he adds. Investing in strategic, high-return projects can create wealth and employment opportunities for Indigenous Peoples, contributing to economic reconciliation and ensuring more Indigenous participation in Canada’s broader economy.
Besides smart investments, partnerships—especially nation to nation—are deeply engrained in the fibre of Alexander First Nation. Arcand gives the example of the 23.6-megawatt Tilley Solar project, located southeast of Calgary, which generated more than 150 jobs during construction. This large energy project is the result of a partnership between Alexander First Nation, First Nation Power Development, Concord Green Energy and Canada Infrastructure Bank. “None of us could have done it alone,” says Arcand.
ABC’s CEO strongly believes that Alexander Business Centre can continue to be a successful business story that ensures long-term prosperity for the Nation’s current and future generations, while upholding its strong cultural roots and values.
“We do our business planning and due diligence, and we partner with great people and organizations,” he says. “When all that is done and settled, we smoke the pipe and pray for good business to help us thrive. Our elders appreciate it. Our leadership appreciate it. I appreciate it because we feel it’s important for our culture and our values as a Nation.”
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