Survey on the Economic Relations between Aboriginal People and the Businesses of Abitibi-Témiscamingue

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the importance and the nature of the economic relations between the off-reserve businesses of Abitibi-Temiscamingue and the Aboriginal people of the region and Northern Quebec. It was sponsored by the Secretariat to the Cree Nation/Abitibi-Témiscamingue Economic Alliance (SAENCAT) whose mandate is to foster closer economic links between the stakeholders of the region and the Cree nation. This study examined the contribution made by Aboriginal people to the businesses of the region in the areas of operations (contribution in terms of capital or employees) and market (share of the Aboriginal clientele in relation to the global market of the business). The study also endeavoured to describe how regional business people perceive their Aboriginal clientele. The data was collected during the summer of 2006 through a telephone survey conducted among one hundred or so businesses that have business links with Aboriginal people. It was completed by the use of statistical data in order that the survey results could be placed in a regional context. Based on the results of the study, it appears that the contribution of the Aboriginal people is significantly weak in areas related to the labour and capital of regional businesses. On the other hand, Aboriginals contribute at a much higher level as clients of regional business establishments: The market share of regional businesses that do business with Aboriginals varies between five and fifteen percent depending on the MRC. The MRC of the Valléede- l’Or has the largest concentration of businesses that deal with Aboriginals with market shares superior to the other MRCs. The regional businesses feel that the Aboriginal clientele consolidates the current activity and that it also represents a potential for the future. The relations between the businesses and their Aboriginal clients or partners are considered as harmonious; nevertheless, there are certain difficulties and according to the regional business people, these difficulties are mainly due to a lack of mutual knowledge (between non-Aboriginals and Aboriginals).