Evidence of meeting #34 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was housing.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Director General, Social and Demographic Statistics, Statistics Canada
Exactly.
Bloc
Marc Lemay Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Do your forecasts specify whether these aboriginals will be living in an urban setting, a semi-urban setting, or a rural region? Is this asking too much of you?
Director General, Social and Demographic Statistics, Statistics Canada
We do not have those details with us today, but we do have the province-by-province breakdown.
Bloc
Marc Lemay Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
I will hand over the time remaining to my colleague, Mr. Chairman.
Yvon Lévesque Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
Thank you.
With respect to funding for housing, you report a shortfall in the communities, based on what is paid for by aboriginals, which you cover. How are you able to determine the shortfall in housing funding, and monitor the incomes of persons living in these communities?
Where is Nunavik in all of your calculations? Do your calculations factor in the detrimental effects caused by climate change?
Assistant Director, Aboriginal Data, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
If I understood your question correctly, you wish to know how Statistics Canada obtains funds for housing on behalf of the communities.
Bloc
Yvon Lévesque Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
You distribute funds based on the shortfall, and residents pay based on their income. Where and how do you collect your data on the incomes of residents living in these dwellings, whether they are apartment buildings or separate dwellings?
Assistant Director, Aboriginal Data, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
Firstly, Statistics Canada does not hand out funds for housing, because that is not within our mandate. We collect information. With respect to data on people's income, through our census, we ask residents what their sources of income are. This then allows us to calculate their incomes.
We also gather information on the portion of incomes allocated to housing, whether it be a mortgage or rent.
Bloc
Yvon Lévesque Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
I do not believe that Nunavik is included in the reserves. Where are the statistics for Nunavik?
Assistant Director, Aboriginal Data, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
It is possible to obtain information on incomes of the people of Nunavik through the census, in exactly the same way as is done for other aboriginal groups. In fact, the same question is put to everybody.
Bloc
Yvon Lévesque Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
However, you are not responsible for housing needs.
Assistant Director, Aboriginal Data, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
That falls under the purview of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation or the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
Bloc
Marc Lemay Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
I would like you to make a forecast. By 2017, within 10 years, will the aboriginal, Inuit or Metis population be living on or off reserves?
Assistant Director, Aboriginal Data, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
There will always be people living on reserves and others who live off reserves.
According to our estimates, 40% of the aboriginal population will be living on reserves. Currently, the figure is approximately 30%. Therefore, there will be an increase. However, the hypotheses on which these projections are based must remain the same. And yet, we have no control over those factors. That is why our projections must be revised regularly, to take into account the most recent data. The following projections were made based on the 2005 data, which covers the period ending in 2017.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank you for coming before the committee. I have a couple of questions on data gathering.
My understanding is that this is based strictly on self-identification. Would the people on reserve during the census have to self-identify?
Assistant Director, Aboriginal Data, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
Yes.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
So there is no differentiation made between status versus non-status in this data.
Assistant Director, Aboriginal Data, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
Not directly, but indirectly we can obtain information on the non-status population.
Assistant Director, Aboriginal Data, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
There are four questions on the census. There is one that deals with identity, as Rosemary has explained to you. There's another one that asks people if they are treaty or registered Indians. We indirectly obtain information on the non-status population of Indians when they say they are North American Indians but not registered.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
On this kind of information around housing, could you extrapolate that for status?
