Overview

Abstract (English)

This report is presented in four parts. Part I begins with a contextualization of the historical impacts of colonization as they relate to poverty creation for Indigenous peoples. It then provides a socio-economic overview of Indigenous peoples in B.C., including a description of standard poverty measures and how Indigenous peoples in B.C. are represented in income support programs. Part II of the report gives detailed information on what we heard from community voices, including Key Knowledge Advisors and Income Assistance recipients. It provides a narrative of Indigenous voices on experiences with the income support systems currently available in B.C., including gaps and barriers. This part of the report also adds the perspectives of front-line income support workers in and outside of First Nations communities. The last part of this section highlights forms of resilience and Indigenous resurgence in First Nations communities that generate well-being and confront the gaps and barriers that exist. Part III of the report shows results from a quantitative analysis of secondary data that help us describe and identify consequences and determinants of poverty and dependency on social assistance, utilizing standard measures of poverty that are being used by governments to aid in policy formation. It is important to note that the statistical analysis presented in this part of the report is a one-of-a-kind analysis, guided by the First Nations Leadership Council and drawing on a unique dataset that contained information on all B.C. residents over a considerable time period, linking data from several British Columbia ministries, notably the Ministries of Education, of Health, and of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. Part IV of the report concludes with a summary and a list of recommended actions to address the identified barriers and gaps moving forward.

Abstract (French)

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