Special Report - Economic Impact of the Indigenous Economy - May 2025

Summary of Results (Full Historical Report Available for Download Below)

The purpose of this report is to accurately measure economic activities of all First Nation and Indigenous communities within Saskatchewan and to demonstrate their economic impacts  on a broader provincial scale. The report rests on various historical analysis of data such as population, labour force, business registry, corporate profits, income and wages, employment by industry by community, imports, exports, and gross domestic product. The ultimate goal is to present to the province, for the first time, a study that accurately quantifies the size of the First Nation economy in Saskatchewan and to demonstrate the real economic contributions of First Nations communities' business and economic development activities on the provincial economy. A further intention is to incorporate this study into a framework of any further discussion and initiatives taken among Indigenous leaders, local, provincial, and federal governments. Hence, this report is a benchmark as well as a replicable method that can be used to measure the economic performance in current and subsequent years.  

The First Nation (excluding Metis and Inuk) economy in Saskatchewan in 2021 added $4,149.6 million to provincial GDP (5.4% of the total economy), created or maintained 40,006 jobs in the province (7% of total employment), and added $1,042.0 million to government revenues (622.6 million Federal and $419.5 million Provincial). Roughly 1 in every 14 jobs in the province depends directly or indirectly on the First Nations economy.

Including all Indigenous (including Metis and Inuk) economic activity, the economic impact is more striking. The indigenous economy in Saskatchewan in 2021 added $5,528.7 million to provincial GDP (7.2% of the total economy), created or maintained 52,366 jobs in the province (9.2% of total employment), and added $1,1330.7 million to government revenues ($786.3 million Federal and $544.4 million Provincial). Roughly 1 in every 11 jobs in the province depends directly or indirectly on the Indigenous economy. 

Please note that these results are historical, to request an updated report, please contact info@praxis-consulting.ca.