STATISTICSSTATISTIQUECANADA Aboriginal Labour Force Survey Province of Alberta

STATISTICS STATISTIQUECANADA CANADA

Aboriginal Labour Force Survey

Province of Alberta


2001 Census – Statistics Canada

• 156,220 total Aboriginal identity population

• 84,990 North American Indian single response

• 66,060 Métis single response

Alberta’s Aboriginal Population


• Aboriginal Policy Framework (APF)

• Aboriginal Policy Initiative (API)

• http://www.aand.gov.ab.ca

• http://www.gov.ab.ca/hre

• http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/

Alberta Context


Province of Alberta Cross-Ministry initiative

• Involving 12 provincial departments.

• Two Long Term Goals:

– Individual and community well-being and self-reliance.

– Clearer Federal, Provincial and Aboriginal roles and responsibilities.

Aboriginal Policy Initiative


API - Objective 1 Life Expectancy Results

10-year target• By 2010, reduce by one year, the difference in life expectancy between Registered Indians in Alberta and all Albertans.

Life Expectancy (Canada)(Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, 2001)


API - Objective 2High School Completion Results

10-year target

• By 2010, the percentage of Aboriginal learners 15 years of age and older with high school completion will be 60% and 30% with post-secondary completion.

High School Completion (Alberta)(Alberta Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development)


API - Objective 2 Post-Secondary Completion Results

10-year target

• By 2010, the percentage of Aboriginal learners 15 years of age and older with high school completion will be 60% and 30% with post-secondary completion.

Post-Secondary Completion (Alberta)(Alberta Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development)


API - Objective 3Employment Rate Results

10-year target• By 2010, the difference in employment rates of Aboriginal Albertans and other Albertans will be less than 10 percentage points.

Employment Rate (Alberta)(Alberta Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development)


• 2 Year Pilot

• Statistics Canada/Alberta Government

• Aboriginal Data-Off Reserve

• Business Plans

Aboriginal Labour Force Survey Pilot


Objectives of AlbertaAboriginal LFS Pilot

• The provision of current and ongoing information on the labour market conditions of Aboriginal persons living off-reserve

• Monthly data that captures the labour market conditions throughout the year (i.e. seasonal and temporary work)

• Data that are comparable to indicators available for the rest of the population


Objectives Labour Force Survey

• Monitor current labour market conditions and longer term trends by various characteristics:

– Demographics: age, sex, educational attainment, household relationship

– Characteristics of employed: Class of worker, wages, hours, industry, occupation, union status, job security, job tenure, multiple job holders

– Characteristics of unemployed: duration of unemployment, when last worked, details of last job

– Characteristics of persons not in the labour force: Reason for leaving last job, reason for not wanting job


Survey MethodologyLabour Force Survey

• Monthly household sample survey

• Area frame (areas are randomly selected, dwellings in these areas are listed, and a random sample of listed dwellings are selected for interview)

• Sample size

– 53,000 households (110,000 persons aged 15+) interviewed each month

– Sample size in Alberta prior to Pilot approx. 4,200 households

• Selected households are in sample for 6 months


Survey CoverageLabour Force Survey

• The survey covers 98% of the Canadian population aged 15 years and older

– Exclusions:

• Canada's Territories (separate pilot survey)

• Reserves

• Full-time members of the Canadian armed forces

• Institutional population (eg. Prisons, hospitals)

• Aboriginals living off reserve are included in the survey but sample size too small to produce reliable estimates. Prior to 2003, there was no question to identify aboriginal persons


Alberta AboriginalLFS Highlights

1. Identify the population of concern:

• Re-program the LFS questionnaire to add questions to identify the aboriginal population living off-reserve in Alberta

– Is ... an Aboriginal person, that is, North American Indian, Métis or Inuit (Eskimo)?

» …yes…

– Is ... a North American Indian, Métis or Inuit (Eskimo)?

-North American Indian-Métis-Inuit (Eskimo)


Alberta Aboriginal LFS Highlights (continued)

2. Improve data quality by adding sample

(+ 1250) in urban neighborhoods with significant aboriginal populations

(target CV of 25% for unemployment rate of Aboriginal persons living off reserve in Alberta)

3. Full collection began January 2003

4. Data evaluated in summer of 2003 by Alberta and StatsCan: reasonable, target CVs met, consistent with other sources

5. First data release in October 2003: updated every month on Alberta Human Resources and Employment website


Project Issues

• Comparability to Census (off-reserve vs. all)

• Potentially difficult population to capture with survey sample

• Cost and funding


Alberta Unemployment Ratesby Population GroupMonthly 3-Month Moving Averages

• Métis group steady throughout the year

• North American Indian group major increase in summer months

Alberta Unemployment Rates by Population Group, 3-Month Moving Averages

0.0%

4.0%

8.0%

12.0%

16.0%

20.0%

Mar2003

Apr2003

May2003

Jun2003

Jul2003

Aug2003

Sep2003

Oct2003

Nov2003

Dec2003

Jan2004

Feb2004

Aboriginal People North American Indian Métis

Data Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey


Alberta 2003 Annual Average FiguresAboriginal People

• 85,100 Working Age Population

• 62,500 Labour Force

• 56,300 Employment

• 6,200 Unemployment

• 10.0% Unemployment Rate

• 73.4% Participation Rate

• 66.1% Employment Rate


Alberta 2003 Annual Average FiguresGender Differences

• Aboriginal women had lower unemployment rates than Aboriginal men (9.6% vs. 10.2%)

• Aboriginal men had higher employment rates than Aboriginal women (71.4% vs. 60.9%)

• Both trends also hold true for the non-Aboriginal population in Alberta


Alberta 2003 Annual Average FiguresYouth (ages 15-24)

• Aboriginal youth women did not fare as well as non-Aboriginal youth women

Alberta Youth (ages 15-24) Employment Rates, 2003

65.3% 65.4% 64.7%

54.9%

48.0%

52.0%

56.0%

60.0%

64.0%

68.0%

Non-AboriginalMen

Non-AboriginalWomen

Aboriginal Men Aboriginal Women



Alberta 2003 Annual Average FiguresAges 55 and over

• Employment rates for Aboriginal women 55+ were higher than non-Aboriginal women 55+

Employment Rates

• Aboriginal women 55+ = 46.9%

• Non-Aboriginal women 55+ = 27.8%

• All Alberta women 55+ = 28.2%


Alberta 2003 Annual Average FiguresEmployment Rate Comparison

• Very similar for Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal people

• Métis group had the highest and North American Indian group had the lowest

Alberta Employment Rates, 2003

69.8%

66.1%

58.9%

69.3%

52.0%

56.0%

60.0%

64.0%

68.0%

72.0%

Non-Aboriginal Aboriginal North-AmericanIndian

Métis



Alberta 2003 Annual Average FiguresUnemployment Rate Comparison

• More variation than the employment rates

• North American Indian group had the highest and Non-Aboriginal group had the lowest

Alberta Unemployment Rates, 2003

5.0%

10.0%

13.4%

8.2%

0.0%

4.0%

8.0%

12.0%

16.0%

Non-Aboriginal Aboriginal North-American Indian Métis



Alberta 2003 Annual Average FiguresEmployment by Industry

• The industries that employed the greatest number of Aboriginal people in 2003 were: Construction; Retail and Wholesale Trade; and Health Care and Social Assistance.

Percentage of Aboriginal People Employment by Industry, 2003

Others60.8%

Construction15.2% Retail and

Wholesale Trade15.1%

Health Care and Social Assistance

8.9%



Alberta 2003 Annual Average FiguresEmployment Rates by Economic Region

Alberta Employment Rates by Economic Region, 2003

50.7%

74.9%

73.8%

64.0%

61.2%

54.0%

65.4%

71.1%

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0%

Banff - Jasper - RMH

Wood Buffalo - Cold Lake

Red Deer

Camrose - Drumheller

Athabasca - GP - Peace River

Lethbridge - Medicine Hat

Edmonton

Calgary



• Ongoing funding has been secured for continuing 2004-2005

• Continue monthly release on LFS day

• Cost of identifier questions will be covered for all western provinces by the Aboriginal Data Initiative over the 2004/05 period

• Improve ability to target extra sample to Aboriginal households, and reduce amount of extra sample required (phase in with LFS redesign from October 2004 to March 2005)

• BC interested in replicating this pilot in their province, to provide timely and comparable data on labour market outcomes of Aboriginals off-reserve, to support policy and programs

Future Plans


• Alberta Human Resources & Employment:

– http://www.gov.ab.ca/hre/lfstats

• Statistics Canada:

– http://www.statcan.ca

• Questions???

Web Sites

Documents

STATISTICSSTATISTIQUECANADA Aboriginal Labour Force Survey Province of Alberta