Definition of Terms

Combined Enrolment Rate – derived in this report as the ratio of the sum of elementary and secondary enrolment in the corresponding age group that should be enrolled at those levels to the sum of corresponding school age population

Consumer Price Index – measures the average changes in the retail prices of a fixed basket of goods and services usually purchased by households for their consumption (NSCB 1999)

Functional Literacy – represents a significantly higher level of literacy that includes reading, writing, and numeracy skills. These skills must be sufficiently advanced to enable the individual to participate fully and effectively in activities commonly occurring in his life situation that require a reasonable capability beyond oral and written communication (NSCB 1999)

Life Expectancy – refers to the average number of years a person is expected to live from the time of his/her birth; also referred to as life expectancy at birth (NSCB 1999)

Net Enrolment Rate – pertains to the ratio in a given year of enrolment at a given level of education in the age group which should be enrolled at that level to the corresponding population; also referred to as a participation rate (NSCB 1997)

Real Per Capita Income – derived by deflating the average per capita income data generated from the Family Income and Expenditures Survey (FIES) using the corresponding provincial consumer price index with 1994 as the base year.