The data reflects the Canadian patterns. But if a young person doesn't leave when 15-19, the probability of leaving diminishes with age. The Canadian Rural Partnership Research report demonstrates that youth in rural areas have a lower incidence of post-secondary education. Northeastern Ontario shows significantly lower rates than the Ontario average for both rural and urban settings - rates that are also lower than the Canadian average. The proportion of youth with less than a grade 9 is highest in the Aboriginal population.
Participation rates refer to the percentage of each age cohort that is in the labour force.
A natural question arises with respect to female participation in the labour force especially for the 20 to 29 age group. Data shows that young women generally achieve higher levels of education than young men do yet their participation rate is lower. The first conclusion was that for all age groups, individuals who leave rural areas experience faster earnings growth than those who stay in rural areas. First of all, we can be clear about the nature of the problem. Our major problem in the North is declining population - overall and for youth.