Establishing economic activities that allow everyone to live well is a major challenge in Quebec’s Aboriginal communities. Due to the distance of their communities and also historical and political events, Aboriginal people face many challenges when they want to work or start businesses.
Colonization upset the traditional economy of Aboriginal nations. Trade networks were established between communities, sometimes over very long distances. But when the Europeans set up the fur trade, these networks changed and the Aboriginal peoples got used to using European products such as fabrics, metal and firearms. When the fur trade ended, many communities lost their livelihoods and had to reorganize. Some Aboriginal people have since worked to commercialize crafts, become hunting and fishing guides, and work in mines, on construction sites and the forestry industry.
Much remains to be done, but many Aboriginal communities have found ways to create jobs. For example, in the 1960s, the Inuit organized a cooperative that makes it possible for many artisans to sell their engravings and sculptures, which are very much in demand, for prices that allow them to make a living from their art. Other communities host tourists in hotels or outfitters that they run, offer forest adventures or make use of natural resources.