What is the Community Well-Being Index?

• The Community Well-Being Index is a method of assessing general well-being of Canadians at the community level in terms of education, labour force activity, income and housing.
• For 2001, 541 First Nations communities were measured (those with populations over 65 that participated in the 2001 Census of Canada).
• The index was designed to be used across census years.
• It complements the Registered Indian Human Development Index, developed by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada to compare the average level of well-being of Registered Indians and other Canadians. This is based on the United Nations Human Development Index, a composite index used by the UN Development Program to measure and compare the quality of life in some 170 countries.

Why was the index created?

• The Community Well-Being Index is a first step towards a deeper understanding of the socio-economic conditions in First Nations communities and their well-being relative to other Canadian communities.
• The Community Well-Being Index is a powerful research tool that will increase understanding of the various obstacles to well-being in First Nations communities.
• It identifies First Nations communities which could serve as role models and sources of best practices for less advantaged communities.
• It also identifies those communities whose socio-economic difficulties may require attention.
• The system of scores can be used in other research projects to assess the determinants and correlates of well-being in First Nations communities.
• When calculated over time, the Community Well-Being Index can act as a monitoring tool, detecting trends in the absolute and relative well-being of First Nations.

What are the specific indicators of the index?

• The Community Well-Being Index is composed of four primary indicators: education, labour force activity, income, and housing conditions.
• Education is measured by literacy standards (at least a Grade 9 education) and the attainment of at least a high school diploma.
• Labour force activity is measured by labour force participation (labour force participants divided by the total population) and employment among labour force participants (employed persons divided by labour force participants).
• Income is defined as average total income (total income divided by total population).
• Housing conditions are measured by housing quality (if major repairs are needed), and housing quantity (if the home is crowded, containing more than one person per room).

Why are the indicators limited to education, labour force activity, income and housing conditions?

• The census is the only data source available that could fulfil two of the primary aims of the Community Well-Being Index project: to assess well-being in First Nations relative to other Canadian communities and to track community well-being over time. The census measures only a limited number of the factors that may contribute to well-being, and measures even fewer consistently over time.

Are there other indicators of well-being that might have been included?

• Other factors such as language and health can be considered as important components of community well-being. The Community Well-Being Index was limited to the four factors above primarily because of data restrictions.
• Perceptions of well-being are unique to each individual and each community. Culture, for example, plays an important role in defining well-being.
• The CWB index is one of many tools for future research into community well-being. This is an attempt to add to the current understanding of well-being in First Nations communities – not to define it.

How is a community, and more particularly, a First Nation community, defined?

• Communities are defined in this study in terms of census subdivisions. It is the term applied by Statistics Canada to municipalities (as determined by provincial legislation) or their equivalent (i.e. Indian reserves, Indian settlements and unorganized territories).
• This study categorizes census subdivisions into First Nations and other Canadian communities based on a geography hierarchy defined by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada for 2001.
• The Indian and Northern Affairs Canada listing of communities includes the legal list of Indian reserves and Indian settlements as well as a selection of other census subdivision types and is the same as the listing used by the department to report on-reserve population counts from the census.
• It is important to note that there are census subdivisions in Canada with large Aboriginal populations but are not listed by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada as First Nations communities. Inuit communities in Nunavut, for example, are categorized as "other Canadian communities."

What are the results of the Community Well-Being Index based on the last census in 2001?

• The Community Well-Being Index points to difficulties within some First Nations communities and it also indicates that many First Nations are doing well. The 2001 census data shows that one First Nation community is in the top 100 Canadian communities while 92 are in the bottom 100. It also shows that gains have been made in First Nations communities, especially in education.
• It is hoped that partnered research with these First Nations will help to identify effective strategies for socio-economic improvement that may be applied in less affluent First Nations communities.
• For detailed information visit
  http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/pr/ra/index_e.html
  or call 1-800-567-9604.

What is the Government of Canada doing to address problems in First Nations communities?

• The most current research and information demonstrates that with the right investments in the right areas, we do make measurable differences.
• Through scientific tools such as the Community Well-Being Index and Registered Indian Human Development Index it is possible to identify where real progress has been made and where more is needed.
• The Government of Canada has set course on an ambitious agenda aimed at making a real difference in improving the lives of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.
• The Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable, held April 19, 2004, marked the beginning of a renewed dialogue between the federal government and Aboriginal peoples on key policies.
• The Prime Minister made four commitments at the Roundtable:
  
  
  1. A follow-up report on the meeting that was published in May 2004.
     
  2. An Aboriginal Report Card on outcomes that has been developed and is now a chapter in Canada's Performance 2004.
     
  3. Six sectoral follow-up sessions on key policy areas. These are underway and will be held between November and January 2005.
     
  4. A Policy Retreat with Aboriginal leaders that is being planned for Spring of 2005, building on the work of the sectoral follow-up sessions.
     
     
• The sectoral sessions are intended to facilitate discussion, develop priorities and recommend areas for action in six key policy areas:
  
  
  1. Health – led by Health Canada
     
  2. Housing – led by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
     
  3. Lifelong learning – led by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
     
  4. Accountability – led by Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada
     
  5. Economic Development – led by Industry Canada
     
  6. Negotiations – led by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
     

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