Developing sustainability indicators with Winnipeg’s urban First Nations community

The report details the first phase of a project to create sustainability indicators for the urban First Nations community in Winnipeg. Using the Aboriginal Medicine Wheel as a holistic framework, the project engaged community members and service providers through forums to identify and prioritize key issues across four domains: environment, economic, social, and culture. While the project successfully identified specific priority measures—such as housing security, governance participation, health outcomes, and cultural identity—the final reporting on baseline indicators was delayed due to a funding deficit. The document also highlights significant challenges in accessing accurate, First Nations-specific data, noting that most statistics group First Nations, Métis, and Inuit together as 'Aboriginals'.

• The project adopted the Aboriginal Medicine Wheel as its framework because it provides a holistic, easy-to-understand model of complex systems that is culturally identifiable among First Nations.
• Community engagement forums identified critical issues impacting well-being, including the importance of cultural identity as a protective factor against gangs and homelessness, and the lack of safe, affordable housing.
• There is a significant gap in the availability of data specifically for urban First Nations people in Winnipeg and other Canadian cities, as most statistics aggregate First Nations, Métis, and Inuit into a single 'Aboriginal' category.
• Several factors compromise the accuracy and comparability of existing data on First Nations people, including the historical impact of the Indian Act (1876) and Bill C-31, changes in Census definitions, and the exclusion of persons in institutions from Census counts.
• The first phase of the project, which included background research and community engagement, was unable to complete the final reporting on baseline indicators due to a project funding deficit.

APA

Rust, C. (2009). Developing sustainability indicators with Winnipeg’s urban First Nations community. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/measuring_wpg_first_nations.pdf

Chicago

Rust, Christa. Developing sustainability indicators with Winnipeg’s urban First Nations community. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2009. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/measuring_wpg_first_nations.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rust |first1=Christa |title=Developing sustainability indicators with Winnipeg’s urban First Nations community |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=January 2009 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/measuring_wpg_first_nations.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rust2009developing, author = {Rust, Christa}, title = {{Developing sustainability indicators with Winnipeg’s urban First Nations community}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2009}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/measuring_wpg_first_nations.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }