--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/the-potential-contribution-of-aboriginal-canadians-to-labour-force-employment-productivity-and-output-growth-in-canada-2001-2017/" title: "The Potential Contribution of Aboriginal Canadians to Labour Force, Employment, Productivity and Output Growth in Canada, 2001-2017" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-02T13:41:24+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-02T13:41:24+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "Aboriginal Canadians" - "Canada" - "educational attainment" - "employment" - "Indigenous" - "labour force" - "output" - "productivity" 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 Potential Contribution of Aboriginal Canadians to Labour Force, Employment, Productivity and Output Growth in Canada, 2001-2017 Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/the-potential-contribution-of-aboriginal-canadians-to-labour-force-employment-productivity-and-output-growth-in-canada-2001-2017/ # The Potential Contribution of Aboriginal Canadians to Labour Force, Employment, Productivity and Output Growth in Canada, 2001-2017 [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2007-04-1.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Sharpe, Andrew, Jean-François Arsenault, and Simon Lapointe. 2007. “The Potential Contribution of Aboriginal Canadians to Labour Force, Employment, Productivity and Output Growth in Canada, 2001-2017.” CSLS Research Report 2007-04. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/the-potential-contribution-of-aboriginal-canadians-to-labour-force-employment-productivity-and-output-growth-in-canada-2001-2017/ ## 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) ## Report 2007-04 November 2007 180 pages ## Related research [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/) [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? Andrew Sharpe December 1999 | Report 1999-03 | 59 pages](https://csls.ca/research/apprenticeship-in-canadaa-training-system-under-siege/) [A Survey of Indicators of Economic and Social Well-being Andrew Sharpe July 1999 | Report 1999-cprn | 72 pages](https://csls.ca/research/a-survey-of-indicators-of-economic-and-social-well-being/) [A Comparison of Canadian and U.S. Labour Market Performance, 1989-2000 Andrew Sharpe April 2001 | Report 2001-01 | 29 pages](https://csls.ca/research/a-comparison-of-canadian-and-u-s-labour-market-performance-1989-2000/) [Creating a More Efficient Labour Market Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) June 2001 | Report 2001-02 | 147 pages](https://csls.ca/research/creating-a-more-efficient-labour-market/) [The Impact of the National Child Benefit Supplement on the Low Income Status of Canadian Families with Children: The SPSD/M Results Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) June 2002 | Report 2002-01 | 59 pages](https://csls.ca/research/the-impact-of-the-national-child-benefit-supplement-on-the-low-income-status-of-canadian-families-with-children-the-spsd-m-results/) [Productivity Trends in Natural Resources Industries in Canada Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-01a | 69 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-trends-in-natural-resources-industries-in-canada/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn Investing in disadvantaged young people is one of the rare public policies with no equityefficiency tradeoff. This report estimates the potential benefit for the Canadian economy of increasing the educational attainment level of Aboriginal Canadians. We find that increasing the number of Aboriginals who complete high school is a low-hanging fruit with significant and farreaching economic and social benefits for Canadians. Not only would it significantly contribute to increase the personal well-being of Aboriginal Canadians, but it would also contribute somewhat to alleviating two of the most pressing challenges facing the Canadian economy: slower labour force growth and lackluster labour productivity growth. In fact, we find that in the best case scenario where by 2017 the educational attainment and the labour market outcomes at a given level of educational attainment of Aboriginal Canadians reach the same level non-Aboriginal Canadians had in 2001, the potential contribution of Aboriginal Canadians is up to an additional cumulative $160 billion (2001 dollars) over the 2001-2017 period. That represents an increase of $21.5 billion (2001 dollars) in 2017 alone. Moreover, the potential contribution of Aboriginal Canadians to the total growth of the labour force between 2001 and 2017 is projected to be up to 7.39 per cent of the total labour force growth, much higher than their projected 3.37 per cent share of the working age population in 2017. Finally, we find that the potential contribution of Aboriginal Canadians to the annual growth rate of labour productivity in Canada is up to 0.037 percentage point. 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. Ce rapport estime l’avantage potentiel pour l’économie canadienne d’une hausse du niveau de scolarité des Autochtones canadiens. Nous constatons qu’une augmentation du nombre d’Autochtones qui terminent leurs études secondaires constitue une occasion facilement accessible offrant des avantages économiques et sociaux importants et considérables pour les Canadiens. Non seulement cela contribuerait-il de façon importante à accroître le bien-être personnel des Autochtones canadiens, mais cela contribuerait également à atténuer deux des défis les plus pressants auxquels fait face l’économie canadienne : le ralentissement de la croissance de la main-d’œuvre et la faible croissance de la productivité du travail. En fait, nous constatons que, dans le meilleur scénario où, d’ici 2017, le niveau de scolarité et les résultats sur le marché du travail à un niveau de scolarité donné des Autochtones canadiens atteindraient le niveau observé chez les Canadiens non autochtones en 2001, la contribution potentielle des Autochtones canadiens pourrait atteindre jusqu’à 160 milliards de dollars supplémentaires (en dollars de 2001) cumulés sur la période 2001-2017. Cela représente une hausse de 21,5 milliards de dollars (en dollars de 2001) pour la seule année 2017. De plus, la contribution potentielle des Autochtones canadiens à la croissance totale de la main-d’œuvre entre 2001 et 2017 pourrait atteindre jusqu’à 7,39 % de la croissance totale de la main-d’œuvre, une proportion nettement supérieure à leur part projetée de 3,37 % de la population en âge de travailler en 2017. Enfin, nous constatons que la contribution potentielle des Autochtones canadiens pourrait également générer des avantages budgétaires importants pour les gouvernements canadiens. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2007-04-1.pdf)