Research Start-up Summary and Abstract:

Though research concerning urban Aboriginal communities has been expanding recently, there remains a gap in understanding of the historical experiences of these communities. Urban centres formed due to the presence of and in conjunction with Aboriginal communities, yet there are no significant histories of urban Aboriginal communities in any city across Canada. This research project will document the histories of two urban centres in Ontario. The long-standing Aboriginal communities in Sudbury and Ottawa will be examined. Ethics has been cleared at Trent and we are submitting an ethics proposal through Laurentian (as the University of Sudbury does not have its own). We have been to both sites and set up research circles with community representation in both cities. Currently, archival research is underway and community interviews are being set up.

Collaborating Friendship Centre and/or other urban Aboriginal organization:

Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC)

Main contact:
Don McCaskill
Trent University
(705) 748-1011 ext. 7820
Email: [email protected]

• Ontario’s Urban Aboriginal Identity Population (2011, NHS)

  67.1% of Ontario’ Aboriginal population lives in urban areas. 2.4% (301,430) of Ontario’s population identifies as Aboriginal, 3.5% (441,395) report having Aboriginal ancestry.
• 66.7% are First Nation, 28.5% are Metis, 1.1% are Inuit and 3.6% report having multiple or other Aboriginal identities.