Data

The median age in metro Vancouver was 39.1 years, in 2006.

Date

1996, 2001, and 2006

Geography

Metro Vancouver

Description

As birth rates in the region are on the decline, our population is aging. Tracking changing age demographics is important, as policy-makers must ensure that their planning reflects the needs of the growing proportion of seniors in our community. Changing age demographics affect everything from family structures, the need for services, business, and the economy.

The median age of metro Vancouver residents increased from 36.2 to 39.1 years between 1996 and 2006. This increase occurred largely because the number and proportion of seniors has increased, while the proportion of children has decreased in the region. The proportion of the region's residents aged 65 years and over has increased from 11.8% to 12.8% between 1996 and 2006. The proportion of people between the ages of 55 and 64 years has also increased from 8.3% to 11.2% in that time. Meanwhile, the proportion of children under the age of 15 years decreased from 18.4% in 1996 to 16.3% in 2006.

Number of Residents by Age Category in Metro Vancouver, 1996, 2001, and 2006 and Percent Change of Time

Proportion of Residents by Age Category in Metro Vancouver, 1996, 2001, and 2006

The median age of BC residents was 40.8 years in 2006, increasing from 36.3 years in 1996 and 38.4 years in 2001.

The median age for Canadians was 39.5 years in 2006, up from 37.6 years in 2001.

CMA Comparison

The average ages of the Toronto and Calgary populations were slightly lower than the metro Vancouver population in 2006. In 1996, the average age of Toronto's population was 35.2 and it increased to 37.5 years in 2006. The average age in Calgary was 33.6 in 1996, which increased to 35.7 in 2006.

Data Considerations

n/a

Source

Statistics Canada, Census 2006

Link

www.statcan.ca

Data

In 2006, almost a quarter of the Aboriginal population was under the age of 15 years in metro Vancouver.

Date

1996, 2001, and 2006

Geography

Metro Vancouver

Description

The Aboriginal population tends to be much younger than the total metro Vancouver population. In 2006, the median age of the Aboriginal identity population in metro Vancouver was 30.6 years, compared to 39.1 years for the total metro Vancouver population. The median age for the Aboriginal identity population in metro Vancouver was 29.1 years in 2001.

In 2006, 24% of the Aboriginal population in metro Vancouver was under the age of 15 years. By comparison, only 16% of metro Vancouver's total population was under the age of 15 years. The proportion of Aboriginal people in the region under the age of 15 years has declined slightly since 2001, when 26% of the Aboriginal population was under the age of 15 years.

A relatively small proportion of the Aboriginal population was 65 years or over. Only 4% of the Aboriginal population in metro Vancouver was seniors in 2006, up from 3.5% in 2001. The proportion of Aboriginal seniors in the region will likely increase over the next few years, as the 55 to 64 years age group had the most significant growth between 2001 and 2006, growing by 43%.

Number of Aboriginal Residents by Age Category in Metro Vancouver, 2001 and 2006 and Percent Change over Time

Proportion of Aboriginal Residents by Age Category in Metro Vancouver, 2001 and 2006

CMA Comparison

The median age of the Aboriginal population in Toronto was 32.3 years in 2006, which is slightly higher than the median age for this population in metro Vancouver. The median age of Calgary's Aboriginal population was much lower, at 27.1 years.

Data Considerations

Included in the Aboriginal identity population are those persons who reported identifying with at least one Aboriginal group, that is, North American Indian, Métis or Inuit, and/or those who reported being a Treaty Indian or a Registered Indian, as defined by the Indian Act of Canada, and/or those who reported they were members of an Indian band or First Nation. This includes people on and off reserve.

Source

Statistics Canada

Link

www.statcan.ca

Data

In 2006, 15.4% of the metro Vancouver's labour force consisted of workers between the ages of 15 and 24 years, while 14.9% were 55 years or older.

Date

2006

Geography

Metro Vancouver

Description

The aging population will have impacts on the labour force. There will be fewer people to fill positions as the number of young workers decrease and older workers begin to retire.

Youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years made up the smallest proportion of the labour force in the metro Vancouver in 2006. The vast majority (69.7%) were between the ages of 25 and 54 years of age.

Metro Vancouver had a lower proportion of both youth and people 55 years or over in the labour force than at the provincial level, with 15.6% of BC's labour force being between the ages of 15 to 24 years and 16.7% being 55 years or older.

Metro Vancouver had a similar proportion of workers aged 55 and over to Canada as a whole, but Canada's labour force had a larger proportion of youth (16.1%) than metro Vancouver.

Percent Distribution of the Labour Force in Canada, BC, and Metro Vancouver, 2006

The average age of the workforce increased from 39.2 years in 2001 to 40.9 years in 2006 in metro Vancouver. This is partially due to the fact that the proportion of workers over the age of 55 years increased in the region. In 2001, 12.0% of the workers in the region were 55 years or over, compared to 15.4% in 2006. Meanwhile, the proportion of youth working in metro Vancouver remained basically unchanged between 2001 and 2006.

Percent Distribution of the Labour Force in Canada, BC, and Metro Vancouver, 2001

CMA Comparison

Toronto's labour force had a smaller proportion of seniors than the metro Vancouver labour force in 2006, with only 14.7% of Toronto's labour force being aged 55 years or over. The proportion of youth in Toronto's labour force was similar to the proportion in metro Vancouver, with 14.4% of Toronto's labour force being between the ages of 15 and 24 years.

Data Considerations

The labour force refers to those persons who were either employed or unemployed during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 16, 2006).

Source

Statistics Canada, Census 2006

Link

http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/highlights/Labour/Table601.cfm?SR=1

Data

The immigrant population in metro Vancouver increased by 31.2% between 1996 and 2006.

Date

1996, 2001, 2006

Geography

Metro Vancouver

Description

As birth rates decline in Canada, we become more dependent on immigrants for the population growth needed for economic growth.

The immigrant population in the region has grown much more rapidly than the Canadian-born population. Between 1996 and 2006, the immigrant population in the region increased by 31.2%, while the Canadian-born population only increased by 6.2%. In the five years between 2001 and 2006, the immigrant population increased by 12.6%. In that same time period the region's Canadian-born population only increased by 2.3%.

Growth for the Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Populations in BC and Metro Vancouver, 1996, 2001, and 2006

The immigrant population has not grown quite as quickly in the province as a whole compared to metro Vancouver. The foreign-born population increased by 23.9% between 1996 and 2006 in BC. The provincial increase in the Canadian-born population was more on par with the metro Vancouver rate. The Canadian-born population in BC increased by 5.4% between 1996 and 2006. The slower rate of growth for the BC foreign-born population compared to the growth in metro Vancouver is expected, as immigrants tend to settle in larger urban areas.

CMA Comparison

Growth among the immigrant population was fairly similar in Toronto and metro Vancouver. The foreign-born population in Toronto increased by 30.9% between 1996 and 2006. The immigrant population grew much more rapidly in that time Calgary, where the foreign-born population increased by 47.9%.

Data Considerations

Non-immigrants are persons who are Canadian citizens by birth. Although most Canadian citizens by birth were born in Canada, a small number were born outside Canada to Canadian parents.

Immigrants are persons who are, or have ever been, landed immigrants in Canada. A landed immigrant is a person who has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Some immigrants have resided in Canada for a number of years, while others are more recent arrivals. Most immigrants are born outside Canada, but a small number were born in Canada. Includes immigrants who landed in Canada prior to Census Day, May 16, 2006.

Source

Statistics Canada, Census 2006

Link

www.statcan.ca

Data

In 2006, 5.5% of metro Vancouver's workforce primarily spoke a language other than the official languages at work.

Date

2001 and 2006

Geography

Metro Vancouver

Description

The languages used most often at work are changing. Metro Vancouver's residents aged 15 years and over most often speak English at work (92.6%), but 5.5% did not primarily speak an official language at work. In fact, a larger proportion of metro Vancouver's workforce primarily spoke a non-official language at work than the proportion that used French (0.2% of workers in metro Vancouver primarily spoke French at work). By comparison, 95.4% of BC's workers primarily used English as their language of work.

The proportion of workers in the region who primarily spoke English at work decreased slightly between 2001 and 2006 (93.1% in 2001 down to 92.6% in 2006).

Language Most Often Used at Work in Vancouver and BC, 2001 and 2006 (Number of People)

Language Most Often Used at Work in Vancouver and BC, 2001 and 2006 (%)

CMA Comparison

In 2006, 95.7% of workers in Toronto spoke English as their primary language at work.

Data Considerations

The data presented in this table only looks at workers who have worked since 2000.

Source

Statistics Canada, Census 2006

Link

http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/

community/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMA&Code1=933

__&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=vanc&

SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=

Data

The fertility rates in metro Vancouver's local health areas ranged from 1.1 to 1.7 live births per woman between the ages of 15 and 49 years in 2007.

Date

1987-2007

Geography

Metro Vancouver, local health areas

Description

Fertility rates look at the number of children a woman could have during her child bearing years (between the ages of 15 and 49) if she were to experience the current age-specific fertility rates through her lifetime and to survive from birth though to the end of her reproductive life. Fertility rates are important for predicting the number of children that will eventually enter school system, need child care, and enter the labour force, etc. They are also important for understanding other social policy issues such as women's participation in the labour force, parental leave policies and so on.

Fertility rates decreased in all metro Vancouver local health areas, with the exception of New Westminster. The fertility rate decreased by 15.2% in the City of Vancouver between 1987 and 2007. However, between 2003 and 2007 fertility rates began to rise in the City of Vancouver. This trend is consistent with the provincial trend. The fertility rate decreased by 12.9% at the provincial level, although the rates have increased since 2004.

Total Fertility Rates by Local Health Area in Metro Vancouver, 1987-2007

(Live births per woman aged 15-49 by census year)

CMA Comparison

n/a

Data Considerations

Age-Specific Fertility Rates (ASFRs) represent the average number of births to 1,000 women of the specific age group, while Total Fertility Rates (TFRs) represent the average number of births 1,000 women could have if their lifetime fertility was the same as the ASFRs. All figures are calculated using the average of two consecutive July 1st populations and Census Year (July 1 to June 30) period births of the year stated.

Source

BC Stats

Link

http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/DATA/pop/vital/lha_tfr.asp

Data

In 2006, 50.3% of metro Vancouver residents were legally married.

Date

2001 and 2006

Geography

Metro Vancouver

Description

Although we hear about people marrying later and increased numbers of divorces, there has been little change in marital status reported among people living in metro Vancouver. Marital status is an indicator of how family structures change and evolve and societal values about marriage.

In 2006, 891,530 of metro Vancouver's total population aged 15 years and over were legally married. The proportion of married couples in the region did not change significantly between 2001 and 2006. In 2001, 50.1% of the region's population was legally married, compared to 50.3% in 2006. The proportion of married couples in metro Vancouver was similar to the proportions for the province as a whole in both 2001 and 2006.

The proportion of people in common-law relationships also remained relatively unchanged between 2001 and 2006. In 2001, 6.2% of metro Vancouver's residents were in common-law relationships, compared to 6.5% in 2006.

The proportion of metro Vancouver's population that never married and that divorced also remained unchanged between 2001 and 2006. In 2001, 33.9% of the population aged 15 years and over was single, compared to 34.1% in 2006. The proportion of people that were divorced in 2001 and 2006 was 7.3%.

Number of People by Common Law and Legal Marital Status Characteristics in BC and Metro Vancouver, 2001 and 2006

Proportion of People by Common Law and Legal Marital Status Characteristics in BC and Metro Vancouver, 2001 and 2006

CMA Comparison

Just over half of Toronto's population aged 15 years and over were married in 2006 (52.3%). Metro Vancouver has a slightly higher proportion of residents whom are divorced than in Toronto. In Toronto, 6.1% of residents were divorced in 2006.

Data Considerations

n/a

Source

Statistics Canada, Census 2006

Link

http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/

community/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMA&

Code1=535__&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&

SearchText=vancouver&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR

=01&B1=Population

Data

In 2006, 42.0% of people living in metro Vancouver reported a mother tongue other than English or French.

Date

1996 and 2006

Geography

Metro Vancouver

Description

The number of foreign-born residents in the region has grown quickly and their countries of origin are diversifying. Correspondingly, the number of people reporting a mother tongue that is neither official language is also increasing.

In 2006, 42.0% of people in the region reported a mother tongue that is neither English nor French. This proportion has increased since 1996, when 33.7% of those in the region reported a non-official language as their mother tongue. As reported mother tongue diversifies across the region, the proportion of people reporting English as their only mother tongue has decreased from 64.9% in 1996 to 56.7% in 2006. About three quarters of British Columbians reporting a non-official language as their mother tongue lived in metro Vancouver.

Number of People by Mother Tongue in BC and Metro Vancouver, 1996 and 2006

Proportion of People by Mother Tongue in BC and Metro Vancouver, 1996 and 2006

The proportion of people in metro Vancouver reporting a mother tongue other than English or French is higher than in the rest of the province. In 2006, 27.9% of people living in BC reported a mother tongue other than English or French (up from 22.6% in 1996).

CMA Comparison

While the proportion of people reporting mother tongues other than English or French was slightly higher in Toronto, the proportion in Calgary was lower than metro Vancouver's. In 2006, 44.5% of people living in Toronto and 23.8% of people living in Calgary reported a mother tongue that is not an official language.

Data Considerations

Includes responses indicating single responses of a non-official language and multiple responses. Multiple responses include cases where one non-official language is in combination either with English or French or with both official languages.

Percent changes over time do not factor in population growth.

Source

Statistics Canada, Census 2006

Link

http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/

Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMA&Code1=933__&Geo2=PR

&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=vancouver&SearchType=

Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=Language

Data

In 2006, 1.1% of the metro Vancouver population reported belonging to multiple visible minorities.

Date

1996, 2001, 2006

Geography

Metro Vancouver

Description

The increasing number of people reporting that they belong to multiple visible minority groups (i.e. more than one) is an indicator of increasing diversity in the region.

While only 1.1% of metro Vancouver's population reported that they belonged to more than one visible minority group in 2006, the proportion increased from 0.6% in 1996. The number of people in the region reporting multiple responses to this question more than doubled in that time, increasing from 10,215 people in 1996 to 22,115 in 2006. Most of that increase happened between 2001 and 2006.

Multiple Visible Minority Responses in BC and Metro Vancouver, 1996, 2001, and 2006

The proportion of people reporting multiple visible minority responses was much higher in metro Vancouver than in the rest of the province. In 2006, only 0.6% of BC's population said they belong to multiple visible minority groups.

CMA Comparison

In 2006, 1.2% of Toronto's and 0.6% of Calgary's population reported that they belong to more than one visible minority group.

Data Considerations

Includes respondents who reported more than one visible minority group by checking two or more mark-in circles.

Source

Statistics Canada, Census 2006

Link

www.statcan.ca

Data

In 2006, the participation rate for women in metro Vancouver's labour force was 61.9%.

Date

1996, 2001, 2006

Geography

Metro Vancouver

Description

Over the past several decades, the proportion of women active in the labour force has increased. Women now comprise almost half of the region's labour force.

In the past decade there has been little change in the proportion of women who participate in the labour force. In 2006, 61.9% of metro Vancouver's women aged 15 years and over were participating in the labour force, increasing only slightly from 61.3% in 1996.

Participation Rate in the Labour Force by Gender in BC and Metro Vancouver, 1996, 2001, and 2006

The number of women in metro Vancouver's labour force increased from 423,695 in 1996 to 560,080 in 2006. The proportion of women in the region's labour force increased from 46.7% in 1996 to 47.9% in 2006. The proportion of women in the workforce increased by 2.6% between 1996 and 2006.

Population in the Labour Force by Gender in BC and Metro Vancouver, 1996 and 2006

Population in the Labour Force by Gender as a Proportion of the Total Population in the Labour Force in BC and Metro Vancouver, 1996 and 2006

CMA Comparison

As in metro Vancouver, women represent just under half of the labour force in Toronto. In 2006, 48.0% of Toronto's labour force were women. The participation rate was slightly higher for women in Toronto than in metro Vancouver, with a rate of 63.1% in 2006 in Toronto.

Data Considerations

Source

Statistics Canada, Census 2006

Link

www.statcan.ca