Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) was established to represent Inuvialuit interests, improve Inuvialuit economic and cultural well-being, and implement the Inuvialuit Final Agreement (Inuvialuit Final Agreement, 2018). The provision of services builds capacity for self-government, and the Corporation manages and invests the funds obtained from the Agreement (Wilson & Alcantara, 2012). The Inuvialuit Final Agreement affects the lives of all Inuvialuit in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Inuvialuit Final Agreement, 2018). Economic development is a critical component of Indigenous autonomy (Selle & Wilson, 2021), and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) has successfully managed a portfolio valued at over $695M which is increasing its profits annually (Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, n.d.).

The Inuvialuit are using a Corporate structure to manage the lands received in the Settlement, business ventures, and investments. All Inuvialuit enrolled as part of the Inuvialuit Land Rights Settlement equally share the benefits. Inuvialuit register as beneficiaries, and beneficiaries directly control the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and through elected directors (Inuvialuit Final Agreement, 2018). The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation is answerable to its beneficiaries, not the government (Wilson & Alcantara, 2012).

The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation provides services, and employment opportunities for the region. Examples include managing a reindeer herd and a country foods (hunted foods) processing plant. According to Duane Ningaqsiq Smith, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation's Chair and CEO, the goal of Inuvialuit Regional Corporation buying the herd is to expand the herd from its current number of 2,200 to 2,800 animals in order to take it to a sustainable processing level (CBC, 2021). Smith also says that the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation plans to provide meat to beneficiaries of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement (CBC, 2021).

The Inuvialuit are interested in traditional food sharing and the IRC's regional processing plant in Inuvik will process animals from community hunts as well as reindeer meat to supply traditional "country" food to the community (Fillion, Laird, Douglas, Van Pelt, Archie, & Chan, 2014). In addition, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation plans to provide food processing courses so Inuvialuit can learn to make various products out of reindeer (CBC, 2021). Though the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation's role is mainly economic, its activities have governance implications (Wilson & Alcantara, 2012) by contributing to the daily administration of the region.