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Aboriginal People in Manitoba 2000 Chapter 1 : Demographics

In 1996,128,910 Aboriginal people lived in Manitoba according to Statistics Canada, accounting for 11.7% of Manitoba’s total population. The Aboriginal proportion of the population has been increasing rapidly over the past 20 years. In 1981 the Aboriginal population was 66,280 or 6.5% of the total. In 1986 this had risen to 93,450 or 8.7% and in 1991 to 116,200 or 10.6%. ¹

While the total population of Manitoba has been relatively stable, the Aboriginal population has been increasing due to a higher birth rate than the non-Aboriginal population, combined with an Aboriginal mortality rate which is much lower than prior to 1981. Other factors which have been linked to the apparent growth of this population are (1) greater propensity to declare Aboriginal origins, (2) the effects of Bill C-31,(3) improved Census coverage of remote and urban populations, and (4) more diligent Indian Act registration of young children.