The Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS)

Backgrounder

The Urban Aboriginal Strategy is a $50 million, four-year initiative developed by the Government of Canada to help respond to the needs of Aboriginal people living in key urban centres.

Through the Urban Aboriginal Strategy, the Government of Canada partners with other governments, community organizations and Aboriginal people to support projects that respond to local priorities. Between 2003 and 2005, the Government of Canada contributed approximately $14 million to nearly 100 projects that targeted improvements in areas such as: "stay-in-school" and other life-long learning initiatives, housing, health, and outreach services.

Improving Life Chances through Greater Collaboration

In recent decades, the number of Aboriginal people living in Canada's urban centres has grown substantially. Today, about 50 percent of the Aboriginal population lives in urban centres, the vast majority in Canada's larger cities. Population forecasts suggest that the urban Aboriginal population will continue to grow. Although opportunities are often plentiful in Canadian cities, urban life can present difficult challenges, particularly for Aboriginal people. Studies conducted throughout the past decade reveal that urban Aboriginal people are much more likely to experience poverty and ill health, among other problems.

To address these issues, in 1998 the Government of Canada launched the Urban Aboriginal Strategy. In 2002, the Government of Canada committed $25 million in funding to undertake pilot projects in eight cities: Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay and Toronto.

Early Success Leads to Expansion of Program

From the beginning, the Urban Aboriginal Strategy rejected a "one-size-fits-all" approach; instead the Urban Aboriginal Strategy is designed to be a community-based approach that supports projects and priorities identified by community members. Thanks to this approach, initial pilot projects were successful, inspiring further investments in and expansion of the Urban Aboriginal Strategy. Most recently, the federal budget of 2004 doubled Urban Aboriginal Strategy funding to $50 million and extended the program to March 2007. The new funding allowed the Government of Canada to implement pilot projects in four new cities: Prince George, British Columbia; Prince Albert, Saskatchewan; Lethbridge; Alberta; and Thompson, Manitoba.

Although funding for the Urban Aboriginal Strategy expires in March 2007, the Government of Canada is evaluating pilot projects and approaches in each of the twelve designated cities to determine how to address urban Aboriginal issues in the longer-term. The Government of Canada believes that the Urban Aboriginal Strategy is a step in the right direction to ensure that Aboriginal Canadians living in cities across Canada have greater access to the skills and experiences they need to gain access to and succeed in an urban setting.

Partnership Key to Urban Aboriginal Strategy Success

The Urban Aboriginal Strategy follows a collaborative approach, bringing together various federal, provincial and municipal partners, along with more than 50 community groups and Aboriginal organizations to develop and implement projects. The Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians is the lead Minister for the Urban Aboriginal Strategy and is supported by the Office of the Federal Interlocutor situated in the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs. Other Federal Departments and Agencies include:

• Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
• Western Economic Diversification Canada
• Canadian Heritage
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• Health Canada/Public Health Agency Canada
• Industry Canada
• Justice Canada
• Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada