Measureable progress toward improving economic outcomes

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Turtle Island Native Network
http://www.turtleisland.org

Osoyoos, British Columbia – June 26, 2012 –The National Aboriginal Economic Development Board (NAEDB), will be releasing its findings for the first-of-its-kind study, “The Aboriginal Economic Benchmarking Report”, ( http://www.naedb-cndea.com/ ) during the 2012 Aboriginal Economic Leadership Summit in Osoyoos, BC.

The report provides solid evidence that Aboriginal people in Canada are making some measureable progress toward improving their economic outcomes in areas such as employment and income. Despite this progress, the report also shows that significant gaps still remain between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.

“Aboriginal economic development must become an ongoing national priority for Aboriginal people to become full participants in the development and strengthening of the Canadian economy,” said Chief Clarence Louie, Chair of the NAEDB. “The NAEDB’s vision is for Aboriginal people to have the same opportunities and economic outcomes as other Canadians. To reach this goal, we need to know where we are coming from, how we are doing, and what we are hoping to achieve.”

“I am pleased to be accepting the Aboriginal Economic Benchmarking Report on behalf of the Harper Government. The Report provides solid evidence that economic outcomes for Aboriginal people in Canada are improving”, said Dan Albas, Member of Parliament (Okanagan-Coquihalla). “It also confirms that Aboriginal communities are benefitting from our government’s measures to remove barriers to economic success on and off reserve. We will continue to work together with Aboriginal communities, other governments, and the private sector to create opportunities for Aboriginal people to participate in Canada’s social, cultural and economic life.”

The report is the first comprehensive document of its kind to assemble indicators and establish benchmarks to measure the social and economic well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The report is organized around two sets of indicators: 1) Core indicators: employment, income and wealth and well-being; and 2) Underlying indicators: education, entrepreneurship and business development, governance, lands and resources and infrastructure.

Within the report, the NAEDB sets out ten-year targets for each core and underlying indicator. The overall goal reflected in each target is parity with non-Aboriginal Canadians – a goal that will ensure Aboriginal Canadians achieve full inclusion in Canada’s economy.

By 2015, the NAEDB will release the first Aboriginal Economic Progress Report, which will track the progress of Aboriginal Canadians across all of the measures listed in the Aboriginal Economic Benchmarking Report.

The Report

The Aboriginal Economic Benchmarking Report project was developed by the NAEDB over a four year period beginning in 2008-09. The Report is a public document that synthesizes a substantial body of research and analysis undertaken at the direction of the NAEDB.

The NAEDB intends to do a full release of the Report, including a full data annex, at the Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Conference in Ottawa, on October 15-16, 2012. The annex will allow researchers, national Aboriginal organizations, Canadian think-tanks, as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations access to all data gathered for this project.

The NAEDB

Established in 1990, the NAEDB was created by Order-in-Council to provide strategic policy and program advice to the federal government on Aboriginal economic development. Comprised of First Nations, Inuit and Métis community and business leaders from across Canada, the Board plays an important role in helping the federal government develop economic policies and programs that are coordinated, accessible and responsive to the unique needs and circumstances of Aboriginal Canadians.
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Aboriginal Economic Benchmark Report



FACTSHEET
NAEDB Background

Established in 1990, the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board was created by Order in Council to provide strategic policy and program advice to the federal government on Aboriginal economic development.

The Board brings together First Nations, Inuit and Métis business and community leaders from all regions of Canada to advise the federal government on ways to help increase the economic participation of Aboriginal men and women in the Canadian economy.

More information on the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board can be found online at: http://www.naedb-cndea.com

Aboriginal Economic Benchmark Report

The Aboriginal Economic Benchmarking Report is the first comprehensive document of its kind to assemble indicators and establish benchmarks to measure the social and economic well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. It focuses on the key indicators and measures that best align with the Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development.

The Benchmarking Report project was developed by the NAEDB over a four year period beginning in 2008-09. It synthesizes a substantial body of research and analysis undertaken at the direction of the NAEDB.


Methodology

Several primary data sources were used to develop the Aboriginal Economic Benchmarking

Report, including:

The Canadian Census (1996, 2001, 2006)
The Aboriginal Peoples Survey (2001, 2006)
The Aboriginal Business Survey (2011)
Data collected by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)
Various Statistics Canada surveys

Note: At the time of publication, relevant data from Statistics Canada’s 2011 Census and National Household Survey were not yet available.
Report Highlights

Aboriginal people in Canada have made important gains:

Aboriginal Canadians’ labour force participation rates – the proportion of the population aged 15 years and older that is either employed or seeking employment – has increased considerably over the ten-year period 1996 to 2006, from 58.3 per cent to 63.1 per cent. Over the same period, the gap in the labour force participation rate for Aboriginal Canadians relative to non-Aboriginal Canadians has fallen from 7.3 percentage points in 1996 to 3.8 percentage points in 2006.

Between 1995 and 2005, the average per capita income in 2005 constant dollars for the Aboriginal population has increased from $19,176 to $23,888. Though still significantly lower in dollar amounts than the income of non-Aboriginal Canadians, income for the Aboriginal population is growing faster than income for the non-Aboriginal population, at a rate of 2.22 per cent a year, compared to 1.46 per cent for non-Aboriginal Canadians.

In 2006, there were 34,045 self-employed Aboriginal Canadians, an increase of 25.1% from 2001. This rate of growth in self-employment among Aboriginal Canadians was more than three times that of non-Aboriginal Canadians.

Substantial gaps remain between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians:



At 14.8 per cent in 2006, the unemployment rate for Aboriginal Canadians is more than double the rate of non-Aboriginal Canadians.

Aboriginal Canadians’ average income of $23,888 was 33.4 per cent less than that of non-Aboriginal Canadians’.

Measures of community well-being indicate that among the lowest ranked 100 communities in Canada, 96 were First Nations and one was Inuit. Only one First Nation community ranked among the top 100 communities.

Next Steps

The NAEDB’s next steps include:

Later in 2012, releasing a data annex to the Aboriginal Economic Benchmarking Report
By 2015, releasing the Aboriginal Economic Progress Report, which will track the progress of Aboriginal Canadians across all of the measures listed in the Benchmarking Report.