Report finds greater Indigenous participation in the labor market would boost Alberta’s economy Achi-News

A new report says increasing Indigenous participation in the Alberta labor market could boost the province’s GDP by two to three percentage points, which equates to $8 billion to $11 billion annually.

The report by financial and professional services firm ATB MNP pegs the total contributions of governments, businesses and Indigenous households to Alberta’s GDP in 2023 at $9.2 billion, about three per cent of the province’s total GDP.

He says Indigenous people’s contributions to Alberta’s economy have grown 12 to 15 per cent since 2019.

But the report says disparities in income and educational attainment between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Albertans persist. It says Indigenous workers are still over-represented in lower paying roles and under-represented in management and professional positions.

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The report calls on businesses, governments, and communities to work together to promote Indigenous economic reconciliation. It concludes that increasing Indigenous participation in the labor market would significantly boost Alberta’s economic potential.

There were between 350,000 and 360,000 Indigenous individuals in Alberta in 2023, representing approximately 7.5 percent of the province’s total population.

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