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Building Stronger Relationships

Aboriginal people in Ontario have unique relationships with the land grounded in their presence here for many hundreds, sometimes thousands of years. These relationships are formally recognized in Canada's constitution.

First Nations and Métis people live both in their own communities and in the multicultural cities, towns and villages across Ontario.

Many Inuit live here too, and have added to our cultural mosaic with their historic traditions and knowledge of Canada's Arctic.

• Ontario Facts
• Economic Opportunity and Sustainability
• Building Stronger Relationships
• Improving Social Conditions
• Land Claims and Reconciliation
• More Ontario Facts

Ontario has the largest Aboriginal population in Canada, according to the 2006 Census. Two per cent of Ontario's population is Aboriginal. About 296,500 Aboriginal people live in Ontario—that's about 21 per cent of Canada's total Aboriginal population.

Those who identify themselves as First Nations, or as having First Nations ancestry make up 65 per cent of the Aboriginal population in Ontario. Métis who identify or have ancestry make up 30 per cent. Inuit who identify make up 0.8 per cent.

Note: The total Aboriginal population includes information from the 2006 Census and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, as about 54,000 First Nation people did not participate in the census.

Ontario is committed to improving sustainability and economic opportunities in Aboriginal communities. By working together, communities, government and the private sector can create new industries, businesses and jobs that support both Aboriginal communities and Ontario as a whole.

Initiatives include the:

• Gaming Revenue Sharing Agreement—In 2008, Ontario and Chiefs from across the province approved an agreement for First Nations to share in Ontario's gaming revenues. The agreement, worth an estimated $3 billion over 25 years, will provide the longterm, stable funding needed by First Nations to invest in improvements to quality of life in their communities.


• New Relationship Fund—Ontario is helping to develop the resources, consultation capacity and skills of Aboriginal people and communities so that they can effectively represent their interests and work seamlessly with government. The program received $25 million for distribution in 2008-09 and 2009-10.


• Resource Benefits Sharing—Aboriginal communities and the government are in discussions about how Aboriginal communities can share in the benefits of natural resource development. It will encourage:
  • skills training
  • job creation
  • business partnerships and
  • economic spinoffs.
  The Government of Ontario has set aside $30 million to be distributed once a plan is in place.


• Aboriginal Community Capital Grants Program works at the local level, providing funding for building, acquiring and renovating local community and small business centres. Funding for this program, plus additional funding through the Ontario REC program, brings Ontario's planned community, business and recreation centre investments in Aboriginal communities to more than $19 million in 2009-10.

For more information about economic opportunities and sustainability for Aboriginal communities, please visit:
ontario.ca/aboriginaleconomy

Ontario is charting a new course for constructive, co-operative relationships with Aboriginal people based on mutual respect, dignity, and meaningful participation in decision-making that affects Aboriginal people and their communities.

These relationships lead to improved opportunities for Aboriginal people and communities, and a better future for Aboriginal children and youth.

The Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs maintains a number of formal relationships with Aboriginal leaders and organizations across the province. They include the:

• Ipperwash Inquiry Priorities and Action Committee—This committee, which includes leaders from First Nations and Ontario, as well as observers from the federal government, was formed to prioritize recommendations outlined in the Report of the Ipperwash Inquiry.

  Creating the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs to focus on the needs and issues of Aboriginal people in Ontario was the first recommendation implemented by the Government of Ontario. The report is a roadmap to stronger, more positive relationships with Aboriginal people in Ontario.

  The committee is responsible for a number of initiatives, such as Resource Benefits Sharing and First Nations policing. They will continue working on additional policies and programs related to the recommendations in the report.

• Oski-Machiitawin, or 'New Beginning'—This is the table for discussions between Ontario and the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation of northern Ontario.


• Anishinabek Bilateral Roundtable Agreement—This agreement facilitates discussions between Ontario and the Anishinabek Nation of central and southwest Ontario.


• Métis Nation of Ontario Framework Agreement—This agreement will frame further discussions between the Métis Nation of Ontario and the Ontario government, including setting Ipperwash report recommendation priorities.


• Treaty #3 First Nations Memorandum of Understanding—This memorandum with the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, as well as two letters of intent with other Ontario ministries, further formalizes the Treaty #3 Nation's relationship with Ontario.

For more information about building stronger relationships with Aboriginal people, please visit:
ontario.ca/aboriginalrelationships

The Ontario government is improving social conditions for Aboriginal people by working closely with Aboriginal leadership, organizations and communities, and with the federal government where appropriate.

The Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs leads Ontario's Aboriginal affairs strategy, and plays a coordinating role when other ministries fund or deliver programs for Aboriginal people and communities.

A land claim is a formal statement made by an Aboriginal community that it may be legally entitled to land and/or financial compensation.

The resolution of land claims is primarily a federal responsibility. Sometimes, the province has a role due to its involvement in the historical events giving rise to claims, or because of the impact of claims on the management of lands and natural resources in the province.

Ontario is working together with the federal government, municipalities and Aboriginal communities to:

• reconcile interests on key land issues,
• create certainty over lands and resources and
• improve the land claim review and resolution process, so that fair and lasting settlements can be reached quickly.

Creation of a New Reserve

In 2008, the Ontario government transferred 1,270 hectares of provincial land to the government of Canada to create the Lake Nipigon Reserve on the south shore of Partridge Lake for the Animbiigoo Zaagi'igan Anishinaabek First Nation.

This reserve creation was made possible by the Land and Larger Land Base Framework Agreement to help address needs of First Nations with small reserves or no reserve land.

For more information about land and land related claims and agreements, please visit:
ontario.ca/landclaims

The Aboriginal population in Ontario is growing. While the general population increased by 6.6 per cent between 2001 and 2006, the Aboriginal population in Ontario grew by 28.7 per cent.

This population increase may be attributed to an increase in birthrate, but also to an increase in the number of people identifying themselves as Aboriginal.

The Aboriginal population in Ontario is young. About 27 per cent are 15 years or younger, as compared to about 18 per cent of the non-Aboriginal
population in Ontario.

The Aboriginal population in Ontario is predominantly urban. A little more than half of all registered Indians live offreserve. The Métis and Inuit also live mainly in urban areas.

Ontario's Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs was created in 2007 to build stronger, more positive relationships with Aboriginal people in our province, and improve their quality of life.

For more information about Aboriginal people, please visit:
ontario.ca/aboriginal

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For more information: ontario.ca/aboriginal or 1-866-381-5337

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