Urban & Off-Reserve Aboriginal People

In British Columbia, 78 percent of Indigenous people from First Nation, Métis and Inuit backgrounds are living, studying, and working in urban and off-reserve areas.  

Supporting Urban & Off-Reserve Indigenous People

Engaging with the urban Indigenous population requires special effort, particularly because there is no formal system or entity in place to enable dialogue between urban Indigenous interests and government. Two complementary plans support the prosperity of urban indigenous people.

• Off-Reserve Aboriginal Action Plan (ORAAP)
  A multi-stakeholder, community-driven approach focused on better education and job training, healthier family life, and strengthened cultures and traditions for off-reserve Indigenous people in B.C.
• Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS)
  A community-based Canadian federal government initiative. It supports projects that respond to local priorities and advance the UAS national priority areas for Indigenous people living off-reserve. These national priorities include
  • Improving life skills
  • Promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship
  • Increasing participation in the economy

The Province supports the Off-Reserve Aboriginal Action Plan and the Urban Aboriginal Strategy by

• Working to close social and economic gaps address the needs of urban Indigenous people, including First Nations, Métis and non-status indigenous people.
• Supporting coordinated and collaborative approaches involving the federal government, local government and indigenous organizations to address urban social and economic issues
• Working to support urban and off-reserve Indigenous people's access to education, training, skills development and employment and to support economic development

NOTE: For ORAAP Year-End Reports go to Progress Reporting.