Three myths about aboriginals in cities

The trend suggests that the settlement patterns that we find in the rest of Canada apply to Aboriginal people – that they are leaving reserves and rural areas and moving to cities, and becoming an urban people. [...] The increasing size of Aboriginal populations in large cities, accompanied by an increasing proportion of the Aboriginal population that is urban, suggests the depopulation of reserves and rural Métis communities, with movement to cities. [...] The relative youth of the Aboriginal population in comparison to the rest of the Canadian population means that they experience higher fertility rates. [...] Today, I want to look at three aspects of ghettoization: first, the degree to which Aboriginal people make up the majority of people in particular neighbourhoods; second, the degree to which most Aboriginal people are found in these neighbourhoods; and third, the processes of change over time. [...] Aboriginal Culture and Community in Urban Areas The third misconception I want to talk about today is the idea that Aboriginal people face major challenges in creating community and culture in urban areas.