--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/the-contribution-of-aboriginal-people-to-future-labour-growth-in-canada/" title: "The Contribution of Aboriginal People to Future Labour Growth in Canada" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-02T12:41:33+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-02T12:41:33+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "Aboriginal people" - "Canada" - "ethnic mobility" - "Indigenous" - "labour force growth" - "participation rates" - "projections" - "provinces" - "territories" country_focus: - "Canada" province_region: - "National" research_theme: - "Indigenous Economic Development" - "Labour Markets" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # The Contribution of Aboriginal People to Future Labour Growth in Canada Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/the-contribution-of-aboriginal-people-to-future-labour-growth-in-canada/ # The Contribution of Aboriginal People to Future Labour Growth in Canada [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2017-07-1.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Drummond, Don, Andrew Sharpe, Alexander Murray, and Nicolas Mask. 2017. “The Contribution of Aboriginal People to Future Labour Growth in Canada.” CSLS Research Report 2017-07. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/the-contribution-of-aboriginal-people-to-future-labour-growth-in-canada/ ## Authors: - Don Drummond Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) - Andrew Sharpe Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) - Alexander Murray Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) - Nicolas Mask Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## Report 2017-07 October 2017 36 pages ## Related research [Measuring the Appropriate Outcomes for Better Decision-Making: A Framework to Guide the Analysis of Health Policy Matthew Calver March 2016 | Report 2016-03 | 132 pages](https://csls.ca/research/measuring-the-appropriate-outcomes-for-better-decision-making-a-framework-to-guide-the-analysis-of-health-policy-2016-03/) [Living Standards Domain of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing Andrew Sharpe, Christopher Ross November 2011 | Report 2011-17 | 124 pages](https://csls.ca/research/living-standards-domain-of-the-canadian-index-of-wellbeing-2011-17/) [Productivity: Key to Economic Success Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) March 1998 | Report 1998-01 | 99 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-key-to-economic-success/) [Apprenticeship in Canada: A Training System Under Siege? 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We find that this contribution at the national level can be as high at 21 per cent under the scenario that age-specific participation rates between Aboriginal and nonAboriginal population close by 2036 and ethnic mobility continues as current rates. The contributions varies greatly by region, with Aboriginal contributions to labour force growth up to 83.1 per cent, 72.9 per cent and 52.2 per cent in the three territories, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, respectively. L’objectif de ce rapport est de contribuer au débat sur la fermeture des écarts socioéconomiques entre les Autochtones et les non-Autochtones en projetant la contribution des Autochtones à la croissance future de la main-d’œuvre au Canada, à l’échelle nationale et régionale, selon divers scénarios pour la période 2011-2036. Nous constatons que cette contribution peut atteindre 21 % à l’échelle nationale selon le scénario où les taux d’activité par groupe d’âge entre la population autochtone et non autochtone convergent d’ici 2036 et où la mobilité ethnique se maintient aux taux actuels. Les contributions varient considérablement selon la région, la contribution des Autochtones à la croissance de la main-d’œuvre atteignant respectivement 83,1 %, 72,9 % et 52,2 % dans les trois territoires, en Saskatchewan et au Manitoba. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2017-07-1.pdf)