Inviting indigenous people into economy means $27.7B economic boost: report
OTTAWA — The National Aboriginal Economic Development Board says Canada’s GDP would get an annual boost of $27.7 billion if barriers were removed to ensure indigenous people can participate in the economy.
The group’s latest report, to be released Tuesday, says equal economic opportunity for indigenous peoples would help Canada address ongoing economic challenges caused by low productivity and demographic pressure from an aging population.
It also notes the productivity of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples would match that of their non-indigenous counterparts if they received the same level of education and training.
The report says an additional $8.5 billion in income could be earned every year by the indigenous workforce if education and training gaps are closed.