Aboriginal People — Continued

Goal: Quality of life is improved for Aboriginal people

Planning Context

Approximately 140,000 Aboriginal people live in British Columbia, but they do not enjoy the same quality of life as most others in the province. The Provincial Health Officer’s annual report released in October 2002 confirms the long-standing inequality in health and social status. The standard of living of an Aboriginal person living in British Columbia is likely to be 20 per cent below the provincial average based on indicators such as income, employment, educational attainment and housing adequacy. A status Indian can expect to live 7.5 years less than other British Columbians.

In recent years more Aboriginal people have moved from reserves to urban centres. About 70 per cent now live off-reserve. This urban Aboriginal population is growing at a faster rate than on-reserve populations, with young adults and single-parent families dominating both groups.

The Premier and Cabinet have placed a priority on improving the quality of life for Aboriginal people, directing the Ministry to work towards better coordination and integration of resources to meet the needs of Aboriginal people. Our success in achieving our objectives depends largely on partnerships with other ministries, the federal government, and Aboriginal organizations and communities.

Objectives	Key Strategies
1. Aboriginal people and communities participate more in British Columbia’s society and economy.	• Fund and support the First Citizens Fund for Aboriginal-owned businesses. • Coordinate annual First Citizens’ Forum.
2. The province partners with the federal government and Aboriginal communities to address the needs of Aboriginal people.	• Develop provincial strategy to engage the federal government on the provision and funding of Aboriginal programs and services.