parties to structure the best financial
solution for them.
“Because we look at financing as a
multi-faceted approach, we work very
hard at creating various ties in the
community,” says Erinn Mah, COO.
Through a collaborative approach and
deft knowledge of the financial sys-
tem and various forms of land tenure,
Usand has successfully broken many
barriers, including being the first capi-
tal corporation to negotiate a bridge
loan for a First Nation in conjunction
with Bridging Finance Inc.; the first to
negotiate an acquisition line of credit
for a community; and the first finan-
cial institution to structure private fi-
nancing for preconstruction and con-
struction of community housing.
Examples of Usand’s successful ne-
gotiations on behalf of First Nation
communities are ample. Facilitating
the Loblaw’s and Pharmasave proj-
ect with the Elsipogtog First Nation
is illustrative of the types of projects
communities are able to achieve with
adequate and speedy access to fund-
ing. “It wasn’t the biggest deal we’ve
ever done, but certainly one of the
most heart warming,” says McCoshen.
For years, band members had been
making the 12-kilometre commute
outside their community to the near-
est grocery store, causing not only
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