Canada: The Aboriginal Economic Benchmarking Report
The National Aboriginal Economic Development Board (NAEDB), will be releasing its findings for the first-of-its-kind study, “The Aboriginal Economic Benchmarking Report”, 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.
Download the entire report here (.pdf). | 
