--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/the-effect-of-increasing-aboriginal-educational-attainment-on-the-labour-force-output-and-the-fiscal-balance/" title: "The Effect of Increasing Aboriginal Educational Attainment on the Labour Force, Output and the Fiscal Balance" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-02T13:37:16+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-02T13:37:16+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "Aboriginal Canadians" - "Canada" - "educational attainment" - "fiscal balance" - "Indigenous" - "labour market" - "output" - "projection" country_focus: - "Canada" province_region: - "National" research_theme: - "Fiscal Policy" - "Indigenous Economic Development" - "Labour Markets" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # The Effect of Increasing Aboriginal Educational Attainment on the Labour Force, Output and the Fiscal Balance Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/the-effect-of-increasing-aboriginal-educational-attainment-on-the-labour-force-output-and-the-fiscal-balance/ # The Effect of Increasing Aboriginal Educational Attainment on the Labour Force, Output and the Fiscal Balance [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2009-03.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Sharpe, Andrew, Jean-François Arsenault, Simon Lapointe, and Fraser Cowan. 2009. “The Effect of Increasing Aboriginal Educational Attainment on the Labour Force, Output and the Fiscal Balance.” CSLS Research Report 2009-03. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/the-effect-of-increasing-aboriginal-educational-attainment-on-the-labour-force-output-and-the-fiscal-balance/ ## Authors: - Andrew Sharpe Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) - Jean-François Arsenault Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) - Simon Lapointe Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) - Fraser Cowan Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## Report 2009-03 May 2009 108 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/) [Closing the First Nations Education Gap in Canada: Assessing Progress and Estimating the Economic Benefits — An Update Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2023 | Report 2023-01 | 101 pages](https://csls.ca/research/closing-the-first-nations-education-gap-in-canada-assessing-progress-and-estimating-the-economic-benefits-an-update-2023-01/) [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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Based on the methodology developed in Sharpe, Arsenault and Lapointe (2007), we estimate the effect of increasing the educational attainment level of Aboriginal Canadians on labour market outcome and output up to 2026. We build on these projection to estimate the potential effect of eliminating educational and social gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people on government spending and government revenues using population and economic projections to 2026. Investir pour assurer un meilleur avenir aux jeunes désavantagés est l’une des rares politiques publiques qui n’implique pas de compromis entre équité et efficacité. À partir de la méthodologie élaborée par Sharpe, Arsenault et Lapointe (2007), ce rapport estime les avantages potentiels prenant la forme de meilleurs résultats sur le marché du travail et d’un niveau de production accru découlant d’une hausse de la scolarité des Autochtones canadiens jusqu’en 2026. Ces projections servent ensuite de fondement pour estimer les effets de l’élimination des écarts éducationnels et socioéconomiques entre Autochtones et non-Autochtones sur les dépenses et les revenus gouvernementaux, à l’aide de projections démographiques et économiques jusqu’en 2026. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2009-03.pdf)