these projects will benefit local communities in terms of secondary
jobs and business opportunities.
Marlyn Chisholm is the principal of
Chisholm Consulting and the lead economist
on the BC Check-Up reports.
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What will increased engagement mean for the BC
economy?
BC’s Aboriginal population is relatively small, so even with their
expanding participation in all occupational fields, Aboriginal workers
will continue to make up a small share of the overall provincial labour
force. Nevertheless, rising labour force participation will give Aboriginal
people greater visibility in all sectors, a larger share of economic and
social benefits in the years to come, and a stronger say in their own
futures.
For BC, the positive economic and social effects generated by greater
Aboriginal labour force engagement is likely to be most observable in
reserve communities and in non-reserve communities that have a
high proportion of First Nations residents.
Only small inroads have been made so far, but greater Abori