b'NATIONAL CENSUSInuit: The Inuit population has grown to 70,545 persons, an increase of 8.5 per cent over 2016, with the overwhelming majority of 69 per cent living in Inuit Nunangat, with an average age of 28.9.Overall, while there was a general slowing in the pace of growth across Indigenous groups, compared to the non-Indigenous Canadian average, the growth rate was still double. Now lets glance at some growing differences within Indigenous groupssome geographic and some legal.The 2021 census shows us thatFirst Nations: For the first time,GROWING DIVIDESwhile the overall pace of growththe First Nations population inEast and West: While Ontario has slowed in the most recentCanada has exceeded one millionhas the largest overall Indigenous period of 2016-2021, the overallpersons on a census at 1,048,405,population at 406,590, the Indigenous growth rate of 9.4 peran increase of 9.7 per cent overlargest proportion of Indigenous cent is still significantly outpacing2016, with 71.8 per cent holdingpeoples are concentrated in the non-Indigenous rate of 5.2Treaty Status and 59.4 per centWestern Canada: B.C. (5.9 per per cent. In other words, it is stillliving off-reserve with an averagecent), Alberta (6.8 per cent), double the Canadian average. 2 age of 32.5. Saskatchewan (17 per cent), This consistent growth over timeMtis: There are now 624,220and Manitoba (18.1 per cent) has led to a significantly youngerpersons who identify as Mtis incombined contain over 50 per average age of 33.6 amongCanada, an increase of 6.3 per centcent of the Indigenous peoples in Indigenous peoples compared toover 2016, with 83.2 per cent livingCanada, with none having a lower the non-Indigenous populationin Ontario or Western Canada withproportional Indigenous popula-average of 41.9. This has majoran average age of 35.9. tion than Ontario (2.9 per cent). 3implications not only for organiza-tions like Indspire, but for educa-tional institutions, governmentsstmcollege.ca and service providers looking to keep pace with the increasing Indigenous demandsespecially those of students.Each group of Indigenous peoples, First Nations, Mtis and Inuit grew in unique ways. Lets look at a snapshot of each, as of 2021: St. Thomas More College (STM)is a welcoming liberal arts college on the USask campus 1 Statistics Canada, Indigenous population continues to grow andin Saskatoon. Registration in over 240 STM offerings in 18 subject areas is available to is much younger than the non-Indigenous population, although theany USask student. Indigenous students will find a great deal of transition support and pace of growth has slowed. [Retrieved: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220921/dq220921a-eng.htm] opportunities for community building at STM, including small class sizes, a welcoming, 2 Ibid. diverse environment, supportive faculty, student clubs, social events, and additional 3 Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2016 and 2021opportunities for Indigenous student scholarships and bursaries.(3901). [Retrieved: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily- Contact 306-966-8900/ 1-800-667-2019quotidien/220921/g-a001-eng.htm]2022indspiration45'