Aboriginal Peoples: Fact Sheet for Manitoba
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About the data sources
The 2011 National Household Survey (NHS) and the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS) are the main data sources for this fact sheet. The 2011 NHS collected social and economic data about the Canadian population. The 2012 APS was a national survey of First Nations people living off reserve, Métis, and Inuit aged 6 and older. The data are for the Aboriginal identity population, which refers to people who reported identifying with at least one Aboriginal group, that is, First Nations, Métis or Inuit, and/or those who reported being a Treaty Indian or a Registered Indian as defined by the Indian Act of Canada, and/or those who reported they were members of an Indian band or First Nation. It was possible to report both single and multiple responses to the Aboriginal identity questions on the NHS and the APS. The NHS data in this fact sheet are based on single responses only. The APS data represent a combination of the single and multiple Aboriginal identity populations. Nearly all off-reserve First Nations, Métis, and Inuit respondents reported a single identity.
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One in seven Aboriginal people in Canada live in Manitoba
- Numbering 195,900,Note 1 14% of the Aboriginal identity population in Canada lived in Manitoba in 2011. They made up 17% of the total population of that province, the highest share of all provinces.
- Four in ten Aboriginal people in Manitoba resided in Winnipeg, representing 11% of the total population living there. Aboriginal people make up more than one-third of the total population of Thompson (35%) and nearly one-quarter (23%) of Portage la Prairie.
- Manitoba was home to 114,230 First Nations people, 78,835 Métis, and 580 Inuit, with the rest reporting otherNote 2 Aboriginal identities (1,055) or more than one Aboriginal identity (1,200). From 2006 to 2011, the First Nations population in Manitoba increased by 15%, while the Métis population rose by 10%, and the Inuit population by 6%.Note 3
- Of those who identified as First Nations people in 2011, 93% or 105,820 reported being a Treaty Indian or a Registered Indian as defined by the Indian Act of Canada. More than half (54% or 61,685) of all First Nations people (58% of First Nations people who were Treaty or Registered Indians, or 61,255 individuals) lived on a reserve.
Aboriginal population younger than non-Aboriginal
- Half (51%) of Aboriginal people in Manitoba were under the age of 25, compared with 30% of the non-Aboriginal population. More than half of First Nations people (56%) were in this age group, as were 45% of Inuit and 43% of Métis. The percentage of First Nations people 25 and younger was the same for both the on- and off-reserve populations.
- In 2011, the median age of First Nations people was 21.0; the off-reserve population was slightly younger (20.6) than those living on a reserve (21.2). Métis had a median age of 29.6; that of Inuit was 25.8. All three groups were younger than the non-Aboriginal population, whose median age was 40.7.
Almost half of Aboriginal children live with both parents
- In Manitoba, 40% of First Nations children aged 14 and younger lived in a family with both their parents in 2011, as did 57% of Métis children and 75% of Inuit children. The corresponding percentage for non-Aboriginal children was 80%. Four in ten First Nations children and 31% of Métis children lived in a lone-parent family, rates that were higher than that for their non-Aboriginal peers (15%).
- In 2011, 6% of Aboriginal children aged 14 and younger were in foster care; the percentage was highest for Inuit children (19%) and First Nations children living off reserve (12%). Moreover, of all Manitoba children in foster care in 2011, 85% were Aboriginal children, the majority of whom (82%) were First Nations children.
| Total Aboriginal identity population | First Nations single identity | Métis single identity | Inuit single identity | Non-Aboriginal identity population | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | On reserve | Off reserve | |||||
| percent | |||||||
| Children of both parentsTable 1 Note 1 | 45.5 | 39.8 | 48.3 | 29.9 | 56.9 | 75.0 | 79.7 |
| Stepchildren | 7.2 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 7.8 | 0.0 | 4.3 |
| Children of lone parent | 37.1 | 40.2 | 35.2 | 46.0 | 30.9 | 0.0 | 14.9 |
| Grandchildren in skip-generation family | 3.1 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| Foster children | 5.7 | 7.0 | 2.8 | 11.9 | 2.9 | 19.4 | 0.4 |
| Children living with other relativesTable 1 Note 2 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
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On-reserve First Nations people most likely to live in crowded homes and homes requiring major repairs
- In 2011, 41% of on-reserve and 13% of off-reserve First Nations people in Manitoba lived in crowded homes, that is, with more than one person per room. Among Métis, the percentage was 4%, and among Inuit, 8%. The comparable figure for the non-Aboriginal population was 5%.
- Almost four in ten First Nations people (38%) and 14% of both Métis and Inuit lived in homes in need of major repairs; the rate was highest for First Nations people living on a reserve (52%).
| Total Aboriginal identity population | First Nations single identity | Métis single identity | Inuit single identity | Non-Aboriginal identity population | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | On reserve | Off reserve | |||||
| percent | |||||||
| CrowdingTable 2 Note 1 | 17.8 | 27.7 | 40.7 | 12.5 | 3.8 | 7.8 | 4.7 |
| Home in need of majorTable 2 Note 2 repairs | 28.2 | 38.0 | 51.7 | 21.9 | 14.3 | 13.8 | 8.3 |
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Ability to speak an Aboriginal language highest among on-reserve First Nations people
- In Manitoba, 54% of First Nations people living on a reserve reported the ability to conduct a conversation in an Aboriginal language, a rate higher than among off-reserve First Nations people (15%), Métis (1%) and Inuit (28%). The Aboriginal languages most commonly spoken by First Nations people were Cree languages, Ojibway and Oji-Cree. Métis spoke mostly Cree languages, Ojibway, and Michif. Inuktitut was the Aboriginal language most commonly spoken by Inuit.
- The number of First Nations people who reported being able to converse in an Aboriginal language exceeded the number who reported an Aboriginal mother tongue, which suggests acquisition of an Aboriginal language as a second language.
- Based on results of the Aboriginal Peoples Survey,Note 4 69% of off-reserve First Nations people and 36% of MétisNote 5 aged 6 and older reported that speaking and understanding an Aboriginal language was important to them.
Description for Chart 1
The title of the graph is "Chart 1 Ability to converse in an Aboriginal language and Aboriginal language as mother tongue, by selected Aboriginal identity group and area of residence, Manitoba, 2011."
This is a column clustered chart.
There are in total 6 categories in the horizontal axis. The vertical axis starts at 0 and ends at 60 with ticks every 10 points.
There are 2 series in this graph.
The vertical axis is "percent."
The horizontal axis is "Aboriginal identity groups."
The title of series 1 is "Ability to conduct a conversation in an Aboriginal language."
The minimum value is 1.4 and it corresponds to "Métis single identity."
The maximum value is 54.4 and it corresponds to "First Nations single identity (on reserve)."
The title of series 2 is "Aboriginal language as mother tongue."
The minimum value is 1.1 and it corresponds to "Métis single identity."
The maximum value is 46.4 and it corresponds to "First Nations single identity (on reserve)."
| Ability to conduct a conversation in an Aboriginal language | Aboriginal language as mother tongue | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Aboriginal identity population | 22.0 | 18.4 |
| First Nations single identity | 36.5 | 30.7 |
| First Nations single identity (on reserve) | 54.4 | 46.4 |
| First Nations single identity (off reserve) | 15.5 | 12.2 |
| Métis single identity | 1.4 | 1.1 |
| Inuit single identity | 27.6 | 26.7 |
| Source: Statistics Canada, National Household Survey, 2011. | ||
Four in ten have postsecondary qualifications
- In 2011, 40% of Aboriginal people aged 25 to 64 in Manitoba had a certificate, diploma or degree from a trade school, college or university: 31% of First Nations people, 49% of Métis and 40% of Inuit. The comparable percentage for their non-Aboriginal counterparts was 60%.
- Among those with postsecondary credentials, First Nations people, Métis and Inuit were more likely than non-Aboriginal graduates to have completed programs below the bachelor’s level (trades or college programs).
- There was also a difference in the proportion of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people with “no certificate, diploma or degree”. In 2011, 50% of First Nations people aged 25 to 64, 24% of Métis and 27% of Inuit did not have a certificate, diploma or degree. The corresponding percentage for the non-Aboriginal population was 14%.
| Total Aboriginal identity population | First Nations single identity | Métis single identity | Inuit single identity |
Non-Aboriginal identity population | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | On reserve | Off reserve | |||||
| percent | |||||||
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 37.3 | 49.5 | 61.9 | 34.9 | 23.9 | 27.4 | 13.9 |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 23.2 | 19.5 | 16.4 | 23.1 | 27.3 | 32.3 | 25.9 |
| Postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree | 39.5 | 31.0 | 21.7 | 42.0 | 48.8 | 40.3 | 60.1 |
| Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma | 10.6 | 8.1 | 5.9 | 10.8 | 13.3 | 16.1 | 10.6 |
| College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma | 17.1 | 13.2 | 9.5 | 17.6 | 21.4 | 21.0 | 19.6 |
| University certificate or diploma below bachelor levelTable 3 Note 1 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
| University certificate, diploma or degree at bachelor level or above | 8.9 | 7.0 | 4.1 | 10.5 | 11.0 | 0.0 | 24.9 |
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Employment rates and median total income generally increase with education
- In 2011, the employment rates of First Nations people, Métis and Inuit aged 25 to 64 in Manitoba who did not have a certificate, diploma or degree were 32.5%, 60.6% and 76.5% respectively. Employment rates were generally higher for those with further education. For example, among those with postsecondary credentials, the employment rate of First Nations people was 70.7%, while that of Métis was 82.6%.
| Total Aboriginal identity population | First Nations single identity | Métis single identity | Inuit single identity | Non-Aboriginal identity population | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | On reserve | Off reserve | |||||
| employment rate (percent) | |||||||
| Total | 61.3 | 48.4 | 40.3 | 58.0 | 75.7 | 78.7 | 80.0 |
| No certificate, diploma, or degree | 41.1 | 32.5 | 29.4 | 39.0 | 60.6 | 76.5 | 68.7 |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 66.3 | 53.3 | 46.7 | 58.9 | 76.8 | 85.0 | 78.1 |
| Postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree | 77.6 | 70.7 | 66.9 | 73.1 | 82.6 | 72.0 | 83.5 |
| Source: Statistics Canada, National Household Survey, 2011. | |||||||
- Median total incomeNote 6 was also higher for those with higher education levels. Among First Nations people aged 25 to 64, median total income (rounded to the nearest $1,000) ranged from $10,000 for those with no certificate, diploma or degree to $28,000 for those with postsecondary credentials. The range for Métis was from $22,000 to $41,000, and for Inuit, from $30,000 to $40,000.
Half rate their health as excellent or very good
- Based on results of the Aboriginal Peoples Survey, more than half (53%) the Aboriginal population aged 12 and older in Manitoba rated their health as excellent or very good in 2012: 50% of First Nations people living off reserve, and 55% of Métis.
- First Nations people living off reserve and Métis aged 12 to 24 had overall health ratings closer to their non-Aboriginal peersNote 7 than those in the older age groups.
Description for Chart 2
The title of the graph is "Chart 2 Excellent or very good self-rated overall health of population aged 12 and over, by selected Aboriginal identity groupChart 2 Note 1 and age group, Manitoba, 2012."
This is a column clustered chart.
There are in total 4 categories in the horizontal axis. The vertical axis starts at 0 and ends at 80 with ticks every 10 points.
There are 4 series in this graph.
The vertical axis is "percent."
The horizontal axis is "Aboriginal identity groups."
The title of series 1 is "Total."
The minimum value is 49.8 and it corresponds to "Off-reserve First Nations people."
The maximum value is 60.3 and it corresponds to "Non-Aboriginal identity population."
The title of series 2 is "12 to 24 years."
The minimum value is 62.2 and it corresponds to "Off-reserve First Nations people."
The maximum value is 67.5 and it corresponds to "Non-Aboriginal identity population."
The title of series 3 is "25 to 44 years."
The minimum value is 48.5 and it corresponds to "Off-reserve First Nations people."
The maximum value is 67.0 and it corresponds to "Non-Aboriginal identity population."
The title of series 4 is "45 years and over."
The minimum value is 36.4 and it corresponds to "Off-reserve First Nations people."
The maximum value is 53.6 and it corresponds to "Non-Aboriginal identity population."
| % | Total | 12 to 24 years | 25 to 44 years | 45 years and over |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Aboriginal identity population (excluding reserves) | 52.6 | 64.3 | 52.8 | 41.4 |
| Off-reserve First Nations people | 49.8 | 62.2 | 48.5 | 36.4 |
| Métis | 54.5 | 66.3 | 55.0 | 44.5 |
| Non-Aboriginal identity population | 60.3 | 67.5 | 67.0 | 53.6 |
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- Over a half of off-reserve First Nations people (55%), and 63% of Métis aged 18 and older reported excellent or very good mental health.Note 8
- Over a half of off-reserve First Nations people (54%) and Métis (58%) aged 12 and older reported that they had been diagnosed with at least one chronic condition. The corresponding percentage for the non-Aboriginal population was similar (55%).
- Among off-reserve First Nations people and Métis, commonly reported conditions included arthritis excluding fibromyalgia (15% and 17%, respectively), high blood pressure (15% and 18%), and asthma (16% and 12%). In addition, 12% of off-reserve First Nations people and 11% of Métis reported being diagnosed with a mood disorder, and 15% of off-reserve First Nations people and 12% of Métis reported an anxiety disorder.
| Total Aboriginal identity population (excluding reserves) | Off-reserve First Nations people | Métis | Non-Aboriginal identity population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| percent | ||||
| Total | 60.1 | 55.1 | 63.1 | 69.6 |
| 18 to 24 | 56.5 | 52.2 | 60.3 | 72.5 |
| 25 to 44 | 58.9 | 54.1 | 61.7 | 72.9 |
| 45 and over | 62.6 | 57.5 | 65.2 | 66.9 |
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About a third of off-reserve First Nations people smoke daily
- In 2012, 35% of off-reserve First Nations people aged 12 and older in Manitoba reported that they smoked daily, as did 25% of Métis. The comparable percentage for the non-Aboriginal population was 13%.
- First Nations people and Métis in all age groups in Table 6 had higher rates of daily smoking than did their non-Aboriginal counterparts.
Description for Chart 3
The title of the graph is "Chart 3 Selected health behaviours of population aged 12 and over, by selected Aboriginal identity group,Chart 3 Note 1 Manitoba, 2012."
This is a column clustered chart.
There are in total 3 categories in the horizontal axis. The vertical axis starts at 0 and ends at 50 with ticks every 10 points.
There are 4 series in this graph.
The vertical axis is "percent."
The horizontal axis is "Health behaviours."
The title of series 1 is "Total Aboriginal identity population (excluding reserves)."
The minimum value is 28.8 and it corresponds to "Daily smoking."
The maximum value is 35.4 and it corresponds to "Heavy drinking.Chart 3 Note 2"
The title of series 2 is "Off-reserve First Nations people."
The minimum value is 35.1 and it corresponds to "Daily smoking."
The maximum value is 43.8 and it corresponds to "Heavy drinking.Chart 3 Note 2"
The title of series 3 is "Métis."
The minimum value is 24.8 and it corresponds to "Daily smoking."
The maximum value is 31.2 and it corresponds to "Heavy drinking.Chart 3 Note 2"
The title of series 4 is "Non-Aboriginal identity population."
The minimum value is 13.3 and it corresponds to "Daily smoking."
The maximum value is 23.5 and it corresponds to "Heavy drinking.Chart 3 Note 2"
| Total Aboriginal identity population (excluding reserves) | Off-reserve First Nations people | Métis | Non-Aboriginal identity population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily smoking | 28.8 | 35.1 | 24.8 | 13.3 |
| Heavy drinkingChart 3 Note 2 | 35.4 | 43.8 | 31.2 | 23.5 |
| Non-drinking | 30.4 | 39.0 | 25.4 | 23.3 |
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- For those 12 and older, the rate of heavy drinking (five or more drinks on one occasion at least once a month in the 12 months preceding the survey) was 44% for off-reserve First Nations people and 31% for Métis, compared with 24% for non-Aboriginal people. Half of off-reserve First Nations people and 39% of Métis and non-Aboriginal people aged 12 to 24 reported heavy drinking.
- At the same time, 39% of off-reserve First Nations people were non-drinkers (consumed no alcohol in the 12 months preceding the survey), compared with 23% of the non-Aboriginal population. The percentage for Métis was 25%. At ages 12 to 24, 46% of First Nations people and 38% of Métis were non-drinkers, as were 43% of non-Aboriginal people in this age group. The percentage of non-drinkers was also high for off-reserve First Nations people aged 45 and older (49%).
| Total Aboriginal identity population (excluding reserves) | Off-reserve First Nations people | Métis | Non-Aboriginal identity population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| percent | ||||
| 12 to 24 | ||||
| Daily smoking | 18.0 | 24.7 | 12.7 | 5.7Note E: Use with caution |
| Heavy drinkingTable 6 Note 2 | 43.2 | 49.8 | 38.8 | 38.9 |
| Non-drinking | 40.7 | 45.5 | 37.6 | 43.2 |
| 25 to 44 | ||||
| Daily smoking | 37.2 | 43.2 | 33.3 | 12.9 |
| Heavy drinking | 35.3 | 44.1 | 30.0 | 28.8 |
| Non-drinking | 17.5 | 22.2 | 14.8Note E: Use with caution | 13.4 |
| 45 and over | ||||
| Daily smoking | 30.8 | 38.8 | 26.9 | 16.2 |
| Heavy drinking | 29.2 | 35.7Note E: Use with caution | 27.2 | 15.7 |
| Non-drinking | 32.9 | 48.9 | 25.1 | 22.3 |
E use with caution
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This fact sheet was prepared by Elena Chernikova of the Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division of Statistics Canada.
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