Raymond Wanuch

Raymond Wanuch, of the Ermineskin Cree Nation south of Edmonton, is at the forefront of Indigenous economic development in Alberta. Raised on the Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement near High Level, Wanuch graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a Bachelor of Management in 1989. Today, he is the executive director of the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO) where he works to build bridges between Indigenous and mainstream economies. His notable work includes establishing a scholarship fund for Indigenous students and helping develop the Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI). CEDI pairs an Indigenous community with a neighbouring municipality to build a mutually beneficial economic development plan or project. The program, in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, has had incredible results in Alberta and across Canada.