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2006 Census: Aboriginal Peoples in Canada in 2006: Inuit, Métis and First Nations, 2006 Census: First Nations people
Reduction in crowding over past decade
First Nations people were five times more likely than non-Aboriginal people to live in crowded homes. The census found that 15% of First Nations people in Canada lived in such a dwelling, compared with just 3% of the non-Aboriginal population. (Crowding is defined as more than one person per room.)
Health experts maintain that inadequate housing can be associated with a host of health problems. For example, crowded living conditions can lead to the transmission of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and hepatitis A, and can also increase risk for injuries, mental health problems, family tensions and violence.1
Crowding was especially common on reserves. Just over one-quarter (26%) of on-reserve First Nations people lived in crowded conditions. In fact, a large percentage of the on-reserve population lived in homes that were very crowded. One in 10 (11%) lived in a dwelling with 1.5 people or more per room.
However, the census found some improvement in on-reserve conditions during the past decade. In 1996, one-third (33%) of the on-reserve population were living in crowded conditions. Although improvement was observed in all provinces and territories, it was more pronounced in Ontario and Quebec than in the Prairie provinces.
Table 21 Percentage of First Nations and non-Aboriginal populations living in crowded dwellings, Canada, 1996 and 2006
Crowded living conditions on reserves were considerably more common in the three Prairie provinces. In Manitoba, about 37% of on-reserve First Nations people lived in a home with more than one person per room, as did 36% in Saskatchewan and 31% in Alberta. In the Northwest Territories and Quebec, the proportion was 23%; in Ontario, it was nearly one-fifth (19%).
A reduction in crowding was also observed among First Nations people living off-reserve. In 2006, 7% lived in a home with more than one person per room, down from 10% in 1996. The improvement was more pronounced in rural areas, where the figure fell to 10% in 2006, from 17% in 1996.
Among off-reserve First Nations people, 15% of those in Saskatchewan lived in a crowded home, followed by 10% in Manitoba, 9% in the Northwest Territories and 8% in Alberta. In many parts of the country, off-reserve First Nations people were far more likely to live in crowded conditions than non-Aboriginal people. For example, only 1% of non-Aboriginal people in Saskatchewan lived in crowded conditions, as did 2% in both Manitoba and Alberta.
Off-reserve First Nations and non-Aboriginal people were equally likely to live in crowded conditions in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
First Nations population four times more likely to live in homes in need of major repairs
First Nations people were four times more likely than non-Aboriginal people to live in dwellings requiring major repairs. In 2006, 28% of First Nations people lived in a home in need of major repairs, compared with just 7% of the non-Aboriginal population. (The need for major repairs was in the judgement of respondents.)
The poor condition of dwellings was especially common on reserves, where about 44% of First Nations people lived in a home requiring major repairs.
In contrast, about 17% of off-reserve First Nations people lived in dwellings requiring major repairs, which is still more than twice the proportion of 7% among non-Aboriginal people.
Table 22 Percentage of First Nations and non-Aboriginal populations living in dwellings in need of major repairs, Canada, 1996 and 2006
Furthermore, the condition of dwellings inhabited by off-reserve First Nations people varied by place of residence. In rural areas, one-fifth (21%) of off-reserve First Nations people lived in dwellings requiring major repairs, compared with 17% of their counterparts living in small cities, and 14% living in large cities.
Overall, the proportion of the on-reserve First Nations population living in dwellings in need of major repairs has increased during the past decade. In 1996, 36% of on-reserve First Nations people lived in dwellings in need of major repairs; by 2006, this had increased to 44%. On the other hand, the proportion was about the same for off-reserve First Nations people, at about 17%.
Regionally, the proportion of on-reserve First Nations people living in dwellings in need of major repairs was considerably higher in the three Prairie provinces. Just over one half (54%) of the on‑reserve population in Saskatchewan lived in a dwelling in need of major repairs, as did 53% in Manitoba, and 52% in Alberta. The percentages were much lower in Ontario (41%) and British Columbia (39%).
Among off-reserve First Nations people, 22% of those in the Yukon Territory lived in a dwelling in need of major repairs, followed by 20% each in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and 19% in the Northwest Territories.
In all four western provinces, off-reserve First Nations people were 2.5 times more likely to live in dwellings in need of major repairs than non-Aboriginal people.
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