The Rise of Indigenous Economic Power Is a ‘Legendary Comeback’

In her new book The Rise of Indigenous Economic Power: Deconstructing Indian Act Economics, bestselling author Carol Anne Hilton builds on the ideas she introduced in her breakout success Indigenomics: Taking a Seat at the Economic Table, deepening the conversation around economic reconciliation and Indigenous-led prosperity.

A Hesquiaht woman of Nuu-chah-nulth descent and founder of the Indigenomics Institute, Hilton has emerged as a national voice for Indigenous economic sovereignty — an issue that sits at the heart of Canada’s future.

Hilton’s latest work arrives at a pivotal time. As Canada reckons with the long-term impacts of colonialism and the limitations of the Indian Act, The Rise of Indigenous Economic Power offers a necessary and inspiring road map. The book is both a powerful critique of the systems that have restricted Indigenous participation in the economy and a call to action for transformative change.

"The Indian Act is a failed system,” says Hilton. “The rise of Indigenous economic power is a legendary comeback.”

The book presents 25 key trends that are actively shaping Indigenous economic growth, from land reclamation and infrastructure investment to cultural resurgence and leadership in green energy. These trends, Hilton argues, are not just signs of progress — they are the building blocks of a $100-billion Indigenous economy already taking shape across the country.

The Rise of Indigenous Economic Power examines the far-reaching costs of the status quo: the entrenchment of poverty, the loss of generational wealth and the persistence of policies designed to diminish Indigenous jurisdiction. Hilton makes a powerful case for economic inclusion as a matter not only of justice but of national interest.

The ideas in the book came to life during the Impact Conference: Indigenomics in Action, held in Vancouver and hosted by the Indigenomics Institute. The event brought together Indigenous leaders, business professionals and policymakers, shifting focus away from what it means to move beyond colonial economics in practice to creating economic reconciliation outcomes. Hosted at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre — located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations — in collaboration with the immersive tech firm MOVE37XR, the conference emphasized experiential learning and systems thinking.

Hilton’s perspective is deeply personal. She is the first generation in her family out of residential schools and the fifth since the introduction of the Indian Act. Her lived experience — combined with her academic and professional background — fuels a vision of the Indigenous economy as a space of creativity, self-determination and abundance.

Based in Victoria, and with her roots on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Hilton is closely connected to B.C.’s evolving landscape. Highlighted in the book, projects like Sen̓áḵw — the massive Indigenous-led development underway in Vancouver — illustrate the scale and ambition of what is possible when Indigenous communities reclaim land and redefine economic relationships. Sen̓áḵw and similar initiatives echo many of Hilton’s core arguments: that land is economic power, and that Indigenous governance can lead not just communities, but entire sectors.

The Rise of Indigenous Economic Power is not simply an analysis — it’s a record of a resurgence in motion. Whether you’re a policymaker, investor, educator or community member, Hilton’s book provides essential insights that challenge assumptions, expose systemic inequities and chart an Indigenous-led path forward.

To learn more about the Indigenomics Institute and ongoing work toward Indigenous economic sovereignty, visit the institute’s website.