Canada’s fastest-growing population is Aboriginal – and nearly half of all Aboriginal Canadians now live in urban areas. To document their experiences, the Environics Institute conducted a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind survey of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people living in cities. CBC News goes behind the research to tell their stories in Hope in the City: The Aboriginal Experience, a series of special reports airing Tuesday, April 6.
Conducted between March and October of 2009, the Environics study of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people living in 11 Canadian cities delivered some surprising results. The majority are young, first-generation city dwellers, optimistic about their future and many are not looking to return to the reserve to live. CBC News explores the challenges facing these young people as they go about their urban lives. What are they looking for and do their aspirations differ from those of other Canadians? We look at what this might mean for Aboriginal culture, language and spirituality, as well as what this shift in demographics means for traditional reserves—politically and economically.
Tune in, listen and go online as The National, CBC Radio, CBC News Network and CBCNews.ca reach across Canada for the stories. These include a look at an outreach program in Saskatoon aimed at Aboriginal peoples moving to cities; a Winnipeg hip hop and urban music station for Aboriginal youth; the challenges facing young urban residents trying to maintain a connection to their Aboriginal spirituality; the struggle for Aboriginal peoples to keep their languages alive; and a mentoring program at Thunder Bay’s Lakehead University.
