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Closing the Aboriginal Education Gap in Canada: Assessing Progress and Estimating the Economic Benefits

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  • Matthew Calver

Abstract

This report has two major goals. The first goal is to assess progress on the gaps in educational attainment and labour market outcomes between 2001 and 2011 and the consequences of any progress (or lack thereof) for the Canadian economy. The second goal is to produce updated estimates of the benefits of eliminating the educational attainment gap. Utilizing projections of the Aboriginal population in 2031 and data from the 2011 National Household survey, we estimate the effects of closing the educational attainment gap on Aboriginal labour market outcomes and national economic performance. We provide breakdowns of the benefits by province, sex, age, Aboriginal identity, registered Indian status, and residence on- and off-reserve. We project that the direct cumulative economic benefits to Canada of closing the educational attainment gap between 2011 and 2031 could be as large as $261 billion.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthew Calver, 2015. "Closing the Aboriginal Education Gap in Canada: Assessing Progress and Estimating the Economic Benefits," CSLS Research Reports 2015-03, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    • Handle: RePEc:sls:resrep:1503
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    File URL: http://www.csls.ca/reports/csls2015-03.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Matthew Calver & Roland Tusz & Erika Rodrigues, 2015. "Interprovincial Migration in Canada: Implications for Output and Productivity Growth, 1987-2014," CSLS Research Reports 2015-19, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    2. Jasmin Thomas, 2015. "Benchmarking Metis Economic and Social Development," CSLS Research Reports 2015-07, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    3. Don Drummond & Evan Capeluck & Matthew Calver, 2015. "The Key Challenge for Canadian Public Policy: Generating Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth," CSLS Research Reports 2015-11, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    4. Matthew Calver, 2015. "Closing the Aboriginal Education Gap in Canada: The Impact on Employment, GDP, and Labour Productivity," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 28, pages 27-46, Spring.
    5. Don Drummond & Evan Capeluck, 2015. "The Role of Productivity in Long-Term Economic and Fiscal Projections for the Canadian Provinces and Territories, 2014-2038," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 29, pages 3-17, Fall.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Aboriginal Education; Aboriginal; Education; Education Gap; Metis; Inuit; First Nations; Educational Attainment; Labour Force Participation; Labour Market Outcomes; Canada;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • N32 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-
    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • N92 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-

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