Introducing Indigenomics with Carol Anne Hilton

When I first met Carol Anne Hilton I was instantly struck by the clarity and ambition of her vision. Interviewing her for She is Wise, I learned she isn’t just advocating for Indigenous inclusion in the economy, she’s redefining what an Indigenous economy is, rooted in relationship, land-based values, and intergenerational wealth.

Her work with the Indigenomics Institute and Global Centre of Indigenomics is pushing forward a staggering thesis: that Indigenous contributions could grow Canada's GDP by $100 billion.

But what stayed with me most wasn’t the scale of that figure. It was Hilton’s incredible, razor-sharp commitment to cultural integrity. Bringing values of circularity, kinship, and respect for land and water into the mainstream of business.

Through this piece, I began to see how economic transformation isn’t just possible, it’s already happening in ways many of us hadn't been looking for yet.  And it's Indigenous women like Hilton who are leading the charge.

Featured Quote

“We have to bring our circularity, our relationship-based economies, our respect for the land and the water and the animals, into the mainstream.”
— Carol Anne Hilton

Read the Full Article
She Is Wise – Spring/Summer 2023, pg. 24
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💡 OCInsight
Indigenomics isn’t a buzzword, it’s a practice rooted in land, kinship, and care. Hilton reminds us that economic strength and cultural strength aren’t separate. In fact, the path to real prosperity runs straight through Indigenous knowledge.

About Bryan Hansen

Bryan Hansen is a Métis educator, speaker, and writer. He’s the founder of OCI, where he helps organizations move beyond land acknowledgments into meaningful, Nation-based reconciliation. His work appears in She Is Wise, Forward Magazine, Indigenous Business Report, and through partnerships with the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB).

As a proud Two-Spirit person, Bryan brings a lens shaped by lived experience, cultural knowledge, and deep relational accountability. His work blends humour, truth-telling, and clarity — inviting audiences to go beyond optics and into transformation.

Curious about working together or inviting Bryan to speak?
Let’s chat.