Working Together to Increase the Participation of Urban Aboriginal People in the British Columbia Economy - Enabling Aboriginal people to participate fully in the economic prosperity of our country

VANCOUVER, Jan. 26, 2015 /CNW/ - Mark Strahl, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, today announced support to four Aboriginal organizations: the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, Metro Vancouver Aboriginal Executive Council, Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society, and the Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association. The organizations will work towards addressing barriers to employment for urban Aboriginal people living in British Columbia (BC) so they can fully participate in the local economy.

The support being provided will help bring together governments, Aboriginal organizations and the private and not-for-profit sectors in partnership to develop a BC Regional Plan in a coordinated effort to better address the needs of urban Aboriginal people in the region. Additionally, it will encourage projects aimed at ensuring urban Aboriginal people across the province have the necessary skills for employment.

Funding is provided as part of the Government of Canada's Urban Aboriginal Strategy, which is aimed at increasing the participation of urban Aboriginal people in Canada's economy by developing partnerships and supporting initiatives in communities across the country.

Quick Facts

• A total of $906,326 is being provided to support the four Aboriginal organizations from the Urban Partnerships program as part of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada's improved Urban Aboriginal Strategy.
• 56% of all Aboriginal people in Canada live in urban areas.
• 232,290 Aboriginal people live in BC.
• According to the 2011 Census, cities with the largest Aboriginal populations were Winnipeg (78,420), Edmonton (61,765), Vancouver (52,375), Toronto (36,995), Calgary (33,370), Ottawa-Gatineau (30,570), Montreal (26,280), Saskatoon (23,895), and Regina (19,785).

Quotes

"Our Government is proud to support projects that help to enable Aboriginal people to take advantage of our country's economic prosperity. Supporting measures that help create jobs and encourage Aboriginal participation in the economy is key to a more prosperous and vibrant Canada."

Mark Strahl
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development

"This funding shows visionary leadership between our Government, the private sector—specifically the ship building industry—and the urban Aboriginal community. British Columbia boasts a world-class ship building industry, and I am delighted to see that urban Aboriginal people will receive excellent job opportunities from it."  

John Weston
Member of Parliament for West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country

"The BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres values the partnership we are building with the Government of Canada to help improve the lives of urban Aboriginal peoples in BC. The BC regional plan is an important step in building a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities as we move towards increased participation in the economy for Aboriginal people."

Annette Morgan
President, BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres

"The funding we are receiving will support our community to continue with the important work of creating an urban Aboriginal regional plan that will focus on education; training and employment; health and wellness; arts, language and culture; and housing and homelessness. At the end of the work, we will have a solid plan that to integrates our services along with federal government sector delivery plans to provide best possible services to our urban Aboriginal community."

Christine Smith
Chair, Metro Vancouver Aboriginal Executive Council

"As a result of the funding being announced today, we will be hosting a workshop for urban Aboriginal service workers to learn about employment opportunities in marine/ship building and the skills training required to access those opportunities. This will enable our front line workers to support urban Aboriginal people in gaining the skills they need for careers in the Marine Industry."

John Webster
President and CEO, Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society

"Our mission at Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association is to improve the quality of life for urban Aboriginal people. We are pleased to have the opportunity to support the urban Aboriginal community, to be of service to those asking for help, to lead those looking for a path forward, and to learn what success means for different individuals. There is great joy in being a part of the discovery of possibilities. We'd like to thank the Government of Canada for supporting this vision."

Joanne Mills
Acting General Manager, Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association

Related products

Backgrounder: Aboriginal Organizations in BC Receive Funding to Support Urban Aboriginal Employment
News Release: Harper Government invests in Aboriginal People Living in Urban Centres
Backgrounder: Urban Aboriginal Programming, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
Fact Sheet: The Improved Urban Aboriginal Strategy: Urban Partnerships and Community Capacity Supports
Frequently Asked Questions: The Improved Urban Aboriginal Strategy

Additional links

British Columbia Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres
Metro Vancouver Aboriginal Executive Council
Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society
Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association
Urban Aboriginal Peoples

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SOURCE Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

Emily Hillstrom, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, 819-997-0002; Media Relations, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, 819-953-1160