McGill's Material Analysis Tool

Here's a project I've been working on with the Design Department of University Services of McGill University. 

"The Materials Analysis Tool (MAT) is a free online ranking system that distills manufacturer information to assist you in the selection of building products that are more cost effective, healthy and environmentally responsible.

MAT was developed at McGill University as a short cut through the mountains of information provided by manufacturers to designers about their products. MAT isn’t a certification for products, but is rather a database of manufacturer information seen through the lens of sustainability and a way for McGill University staff and contractors to choose products that best reflect the values of the University."

Currently manufacturers are adding their products to the database, and we are hoping that in the next few months the project will become fully functional and used by University Services of McGill University as well as the other institutions in the Montreal area.

You can visit the website and check it out for yourself here: http://www.materialanalysis.ca/

Elementary Math: Alberta Oil Sands

I would like someone to explain this for me. From the above fact sheet we learn on the one hand that "almost 136,000 Albertans are employed in Alberta's mining and oil and gas extraction sector."

On the other hand we learn that "about 1,700 First Nations were employed by oil sands explorations - about 10% of the oil sands workforce."

Granted I'm not a mathematician, but based on my calculations 1,700 is 10% of 17,000 and 10% of 136,000 is 13,600.

So which is it - are there only 17,000 people working in this sector - or do First Nations people represent something more like 1.25% of the workforce in this industry?

My rough calculation  of the numbers around First Nations and Metis populations in Alberta suggest that they make up around 10% of the population. Thus, a 10% employment rate in this sector would seem "fair" (despite the fact that the impacts of these projects are arguably disproportionally felt by those living in the relatively remote areas in northern Alberta, frequently First Nations people), so I can see why a 10% employment rate would be a positive number to put forth as say, a goal. But a goal does not a fact make.

Update: I received this link via twitter, on the Labour Market Workforce Stats:  http://woodbuffalo.net/November%202009/upstream-production-oil-san.jpg - it appears that the number of 136,000 posted on the Alberta Oilsands Factsheet may a bit deceiving, as these people might not all be counted as participating in the Oil Sands Workforce, but rather in the entire gas and mining sector (p.s. that's not what the fact sheet is about).