BCBusiness
Teara Fraser, founder of Iskwew Air and elibird aero, is a winner in the Entrepreneurial Leader category of the 2025 Women of the Year Awards
When Teara Fraser became a mother, she experienced a profound shift in her life. She yearned to understand who she was and where she came from, leading to a powerful reconnection with her Métis roots. “My ancestry gave me solid ground to stand upon,” reveals Fraser.
With this deeper relationship with her culture, her dreams reawakened. At 30, she embarked on a life-changing trip to Africa. There, she had her first experience in a small aircraft. Enamoured of both the plane and the pilot, she made a daring choice. “I wanted to know everything about the aircraft, and I decided that I would learn how to fly airplanes,” she shares.
Within a year of returning to Vancouver, she earned her commercial pilot’s licence and began flying for a northern B.C. airline. Feeling that “getting her wings gave her wings,” she realized her true calling was to create the first Indigenous and woman-owned airline. In late 2019, she founded Iskwew Air. She chose the airline’s moniker—which is the Cree word for woman—as an act of reclaiming womanhood, matriarchal leadership and language.
“Aviation is a male-dominated industry with little diversity,” Fraser acknowledges. “It was a bold decision to literally name an airline Woman Air, but I’m here to disrupt the industry and create space for change.”
Launching an airline on the brink of the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t easy. However, despite the challenges—rising costs and the unpredictable nature of the industry—Iskwew Air has made strides. The airline has grown to three aircraft, offers regular service between Vancouver and Qualicum Beach, developed cargo contracts and is one of only three AMOs (Approved Maintenance Organizations) in Canada authorized to conduct maintenance on an electric plane.
Passionate about sustainable innovation in aviation, Fraser also founded elibird aero in 2023, a company focused on developing innovative and sustainable aviation solutions to “walk more softly on Mother Earth.”
Fraser’s ambitions extend beyond herself. “From an Indigenous perspective, I have a responsibility to future generations to do things differently,” she explains. “I want to teach my children to go after their dreams—even when it’s difficult—and that if you’re tenacious and resourceful, you can make them happen.”
Discover our full list of 21 BCBusiness 2025 Women of the Year award winners here.