In 1901, only 5.1 percent of Aboriginal people lived in urban areas, and that percentage had only increased to 6.7 percent by 1951. In 2001, almost half of Canada’s Aboriginal people lived in urban areas. Aboriginal people comprise the largest urban minority group in many prairie cities. Despite the growing size and distinctive characteristics of urban Aboriginal populations, they have received relatively little attention among Canadian geographers.

This Atlas of Urban Aboriginal Peoples attempts to make some information about Aboriginal people in urban areas in Canada available to a wide audience. The initial phase maps Aboriginal settlement patterns in large cities and their changes over time, using a data base created from Census information collected by Statistics Canada. Information about the social and economic characteristics of urban Aboriginal populations will be added as they become available. The Atlas is part of the research on Aboriginal people and cities associated with the Canada Research Chair on Identity and Diversity: The Aboriginal Experience held by Dr. Evelyn J. Peters at the University of Saskatchewan.

There are some unique challenges associated with using Census data on Aboriginal people. Different Census definitions affect population size, characteristics and change over time. Users are therefore encouraged to read the short text that explains some of these challenges and the ways data are used in these maps.

http://gismap.usask.ca/website/Web_atlas/AOUAP/