ABSTRACT

The level of economic development and general wellbeing of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples continues to be much lower than for non-Aboriginal Canadians. While many socioeconomic and institutional factors have been identified as contributing to the wellbeing of Aboriginal Canadians, the current research focuses on employment income, given the belief that higher income is associated with a higher level of wellbeing. Data from the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS) is analysed with an IV-ordered probit model to examine the factors affecting employment income. A set of explanatory variables includes measures of social and human capital, assessed via education and health status, as well as other socio-demographic factors.