Understanding First Nations exposure and sensitivity to economic and ecological change in Canada

Abstract

First Nations in Canada engage in a form of mixed economic production that includes the complementary integration of subsistence (eg hunting, fishing, gathering, sharing) and wage-earning sectors. The flexibility of mixed economies has long enabled First Nations to optimise the use and allocation of household assets (eg time, labour, income) during times of economic and ecological change. In this study, we relied on the disaggregation of household (N=1268) data to measure the extent to which First Nations households in the Peace River region of British Columbia and Alberta engage in the mixed economy. We found that 24% (N=303) of First Nations households participate at an above average level in wage-earning and subsistence harvesting and are involved in relatively dense food sharing networks. These households are in the most optimal position to respond to economic or ecological changes by exploiting the range of household assets at their disposal. Conversely, 29% (N=368) of households participate in both wage-earning and subsistence harvesting at below average levels and are largely excluded from food sharing networks. These households may be most sensitive to even modest exposure. The results of this research offer a fine scale analysis of household characteristics that can be used by First Nations governments for targeted interventions to alleviate household exposure to economic and ecological change.