The
Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of
the Canadian
population. Census day was
May 15 2001. On that day,
Statistics Canada attempted to
count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada
was 30,007,094. This was a 4% increase over
1996 Census of 28,846,761. In contrast,
the official Statistics Canada population estimate for 2001 was
31,021,300. This is considered a more accurate population number
than the actual count.
The following census was the
2006
Census.
Canada by the numbers
A summary of information about Canada.
Total Population |
30,007,094 |
Dwellings |
12,548,588 |
Men |
14,706,850 |
Women |
15,300,245 |
Median age |
37.6 years |
Average earnings |
$ 31,757 |
Census summary
Canada has experienced one of the smallest census-to-census growth
rates in its population. From 1996 to 2001, the nation's population
increased only 4.0%. The Census counted 30,007,094 people on May
15, 2001, compared with 28,846,761 on May 14, 1996.
Only three provinces and one territory had growth rates above the
national average.
Alberta
's population
soared 10.3%, Ontario
gained 6.1%
and British
Columbia
,
4.9%. Nunavut
's population
rose 8.1%. The population of Newfoundland and
Labrador
declined for the second consecutive census
period.
Urbanization continued. In 2001, 79.4% of Canadians lived in an
urban centre of 10,000 people or more, compared
with 78.5% in 1996. Outside the urban centres, the population of
rural and small-town areas declined
0.4%.
In 2001, just over 64% of the nation's population, or about
19,297,000 people, lived in the 27 census metropolitan areas
(CMAs), up slightly from 63% in 1996. Seven of these 27 CMAs saw
their populations grow at a rate of at least double the national
average.
The strongest rise, by far, occurred in
Calgary
.
From 1996
to 2001, the nation's population concentrated further in four broad
urban regions: the extended Golden
Horseshoe in southern Ontario; Montreal
and
environs; British Columbia's Lower Mainland
and southern Vancouver Island
; and the Calgary-Edmonton
corridor. In 2001, 51% of Canada's
population lived in these regions, compared with 49% in 1996.
Population by province/territory
Province |
2001 Census |
1996 Census |
% Change |
|
512,930 |
551,792 |
-7.0 |
|
135,294 |
134,557 |
0.5 |
|
908,007 |
909,282 |
-0.1 |
|
729,498 |
738,133 |
-1.2 |
|
7,237,479 |
7,138,795 |
1.4 |
|
11,410,046 |
10,753,573 |
6.1 |
|
1,119,583 |
1,113,898 |
0.5 |
|
978,933 |
990,237 |
-1.1 |
|
2,974,807 |
2,696,826 |
10.3 |
|
3,907,738 |
3,724,500 |
4.9 |
|
28,674 |
30,766 |
-6.8 |
|
37,360 |
39,672 |
-5.8 |
|
26,745 |
24,730 A |
8.1 |
Demographics
Mother tongue
Population by
mother tongue of
Canada's official languages:
Aboriginal peoples
Population of
Aboriginal
peoples in Canada:
Ethnic origin
Population by
ethnic origin. Only
those origins with more than 250,000 respondents are included here.
This is based entirely on self reporting.
Ethnic origins |
Total responses |
Single responses |
Multiple responses 2 |
Total population |
29,639,035 |
18,307,540 |
11,331,490 |
Canadian |
11,682,680 |
6,748,135 |
4,934,550 |
English |
5,978,875 |
1,479,520 |
4,499,355 |
French |
4,668,410 |
1,060,755 |
3,607,655 |
Scottish |
4,157,210 |
607,235 |
3,549,975 |
Irish |
3,822,660 |
496,865 |
3,325,800 |
German |
2,742,765 |
705,595 |
2,037,170 |
Italian |
1,270,370 |
726,275 |
544,090 |
Chinese |
1,094,700 |
936,210 |
158,490 |
Ukrainian |
1,071,060 |
326,200 |
744,860 |
North American Indian |
1,000,890 |
455,805 |
545,085 |
Dutch (Netherlands) |
923,310 |
316,220 |
607,090 |
Polish |
817,085 |
260,415 |
556,670 |
African |
731,044 |
Unknown |
Unknown |
East Indian |
713,330 |
581,665 |
131,665 |
Norwegian |
363,760 |
47,230 |
316,530 |
Portuguese |
357,690 |
252,835 |
104,855 |
Welsh |
350,365 |
28,445 |
321,925 |
Jewish |
348,605 |
186,475 |
162,130 |
Russian |
337,960 |
70,890 |
267,070 |
Filipino |
327,545 |
266,140 |
61,410 |
Métis |
307,845 |
72,210 |
235,635 |
Swedish |
282,760 |
30,440 |
252,320 |
Hungarian (Magyar) |
267,255 |
91,795 |
175,460 |
American (USA) |
250,010 |
25,200 |
224,805 |
Religion
Population by
religion. Only those
religions with more than 250,000 respondents are included here. The
census question was partly aided -- that is, the questionnaire form
gave examples of some of the denominations but not others. The
actual question asked is noted below.
Religion |
Total responses |
% of Population |
Roman Catholic |
12,793,125 |
43.2 |
No religion |
4,796,325 |
16.2 |
United Church |
2,839,125 |
9.6 |
Anglican |
2,035,500 |
6.9 |
Christian n.i.e. |
780,450 |
2.6 |
Baptist |
729,470 |
2.5 |
Lutheran |
606,590 |
2.0 |
Muslim |
579,640 |
2.0 |
Protestant n.i.e. |
549,205 |
1.9 |
Presbyterian |
409,830 |
1.4 |
Pentecostal |
369,475 |
1.2 |
Jewish |
329,995 |
1.1 |
Buddhist |
300,345 |
1.0 |
Hindu |
297,200 |
1.0 |
Sikh |
278,410 |
0.9 |
- not included elsewhere
The actual question asked:
"What is this person's
religion? Indicate a specific denomination or religion
even if this person is not currently a practising member of that
group.
For example, Roman Catholic, Ukrainian Catholic, United Church,
Anglican, Lutheran, Baptist, Coptic Orthodox, Greek Orthodox,
Jewish, Islam, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, etc."
Visible minorities
Visible minority |
Total responses |
% of Population |
Chinese |
1,029,395 |
3.47 |
South Asian |
917,070 |
3.09 |
Black |
662,215 |
2.23 |
Filipino |
308,575 |
1.04 |
Others |
1,066,590 |
3.60 |
Not a visible
minority
|
25,655,185 |
86.56 |
Age
Population by age:
Age |
Population |
0-4 years |
1,696,285 |
5-14 years |
4,029,255 |
15-19 years |
2,053,325 |
20-24 years |
1,955,810 |
25-44 years |
9,096,560 |
45-54 years |
4,419,290 |
55-64 years |
2,868,015 |
65-74 years |
2,142,835 |
75-84 years |
1,329,810 |
85 years and over |
415,910 |
Methodology
Every person was legally required to return the census
questionnaire that required answering basic demographic
information. In addition randomly selected people were legally
required to complete a much more detailed questionnaire.
On
May 15,
2001,
Statistics Canada had thousands of canvassers who went around to
try and ensure that the entire population was counted. For the
first time, this included canvassers who went to homeless shelters
to ensure that the homeless were included in the census.
In addition to a small number of individuals who refused to
participate, some first nation communities refused to participate
en masse and therefore some of the statistics are inaccurate. This
is noted as footnotes in many of the affected results.
Effects of Census
The census numbers are the basis of the federal governments
transfer payments to the provinces and therefore when a province
loses population, its transfer payments are decreased.
In addition, the census numbers are one of the elements that
Elections Canada uses to create the
boundaries of federal ridings.
See also
External links
- 2001 Census - Statistics Canada's page on the 2001
Census.