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Aboriginal People in Manitoba 2000 Chapter 1 : Demographics

45,750 or 35.5% of Manitoba’s Aboriginal people lived in Winnipeg in 1996. Another 47,215 or 36.5% lived on reserve in 62 Bands/First Nations scattered throughout the province. The remaining 28% lived in other urban settings, Metis communities, rural areas or Crown Land.

Of the approximately 80,000 Status Indians counted during the 1996 Census, 58% lived on reserve, 27% in Winnipeg and 15% elsewhere – mostly in urban settings. Of the approximately 40,000 Metis, 52% lived in Winnipeg, 15% in eight other larger urban settings (see below) and 33% in smaller communities – many in predominantly Metis communities, some adjacent to First Nations and some not. Approximately 3,500 Metis live in communities that fall under the jurisdiction of the Manitoba Northern Affairs Act. Unlike Alberta, there are no lands in Manitoba set aside for Metis settlements.

5,895 Aboriginal people in Manitoba could not be classified as either Status Indians or Metis, according to Census data. 5,155 of these indicated North American Indian identity but not registration under the Indian Act (non-Status Indians). The rest were Inuit (245) or indicated multiple Aboriginal identity but not registration under the Indian Act (495). 65% of this group lived in Winnipeg, with 2,000 in other urban or rural settings.