Demographics of Toronto
The demographics of Toronto make Toronto one of the most multicultural cities in the world. Data released by Statistics Canada as part of the 2006 census indicates that Toronto is more ethnically diverse than Miami, Los Angeles, and New York City. 49.9% of Toronto's population is foreign-born.[1]
A majority of Torontonians claim their origins from as either in whole or part from England, Scotland, Ireland and Italy. There is a significant population of Afghans, Arabs, Barbadians, Bengalis, Chinese, Colombians, Dutch, Ecuadorians, Filipinos, French, Germans, Greeks, Grenadians, Guyanese, Hungarians, Indians, Iranians, Jamaicans, Jews, Koreans, Mexicans, Pakistanis, Poles, Portuguese, Romanians, Russians, Salvadorans, Serbs, Somalis, Sri Lankans, Tibetans, Trinidadians, Ukrainians, Vietnamese, and Vincentians throughout the city. Neighbourhoods such as Chinatown, Corso Italia, Little India, Greektown, Koreatown, Little Jamaica, Little Portugal and Roncesvalles are examples of these large ethno-cultural populations.[2].
Christianity is the largest faith group in Toronto's census metropolitan area, with Roman Catholics comprising 33.4% of the population. The Anglican Church and United Church of Canada account for 6.9% each. Other religious groups include Islam (5.5%), Hinduism (4.1%), Judaism (3.5%), Buddhism (2.1%), and Sikhism (1.9%). 16.6% of the population claim they have no religious affiliation.[3]
While English is the predominant language spoken by Torontonians, Statistics Canada reports that other language groups are significant, including Chinese, Portuguese, Tamil, Arabic, Persian, Pashto, Urdu, Spanish, Punjabi, Somali, Gujarati and Italian. Canada's other official language, French, is spoken by 1.4% of the population.
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[edit] Basic information
| Municipal | population |
|---|---|
| 1831 | 3,969 |
| 1841 | 14,249 |
| 1851 | 30,775 |
| 1861 | 44,821 |
| 1871 | 59,000 |
| 1881 | 96,196 |
| 1891 | 181,215 |
| 1901 | 156,098 |
| 1911 | 376,538 |
| 1921 | 521,893 |
| 1931 | 631,207 |
| 1941 | 657,612 |
| 1951 | 675,754 |
| 1961 | 672,407 |
| 1971 | 712,786 |
| 1981 | 599,217 |
| 1991 | 635,395 |
| 2001* | 2,481,494 |
| 2006* | 2,503,281 |
| *After | amalgamation |
| City of Toronto (2006 census) | 2,503,281 |
| Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (2006 census) |
5,113,149 |
| Annual Growth Rate | 0.2% |
Population growth studies have projected the City of Toronto's population in 2020 to reach 3,000,000, and the Greater Toronto Area would reach a population of roughly 7.5 million in 2025. Toronto's population grew by 1.0% from 2001 to 2006, with an annual growth rate of 0.2%. As of 2001, 17.5% of the population was 14 years and under, and 13.6% was 65 years and over; the median age was 36.9 years. Most recent studies show this has dropped to around 35.4 years of age, and the growth rate has increased to 0.4%.
[edit] Multicultural diversity
Toronto is one of the world's most multicultural cities. In 2004, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ranked Toronto second, behind Miami, Florida, in its list of the world's cities with the largest percentage of foreign-born population. Miami's foreign-born population is dominated by those of Cuban and Latin American descent, unlike Toronto's foreign-born population, which is not dominated by any particular ethnic group.
The 2006 census indicates 46.9% of Toronto's population is composed of visible minorities; 1,162,630 non-Whites, or 23% of Canada's visible minority population, live in Toronto; of this, approximately 70% are of Asian ancestry. Annually, almost half of all immigrants to Canada settle in the Greater Toronto Area. In March 2005, Statistics Canada projected that the combined visible minority proportion will comprise a majority in both Toronto and Vancouver by 2012.
| Ethnicities in the City of Toronto (2006) Source: Stats Canada 2006 Toronto Community Profile: Visible Minorities |
Population | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethnicities | White / Aboriginal | 1,313,930 | 53.1 |
| South Asian | 298,370 | 12.0 | |
| Chinese | 283,075 | 11.4 | |
| Black | 208,555 | 8.4 | |
| Filipino | 102,555 | 4.1 | |
| Latin American | 64,855 | 2.6 | |
| West Asian | 42,755 | 1.7 | |
| Southeast Asian | 37,495 | 1.5 | |
| Korean | 34,220 | 1.4 | |
| Arab | 22,485 | 0.9 | |
| Japanese | 11,965 | 0.5 | |
| Multiple minorities | 31,100 | 1.3 | |
| Other | 25,195 | 1.0 | |
| Total population | 2,476,565 | 100 | |
| Ethnicities in the Toronto CMA (2006) Source: Stats Canada 2006 Toronto CMA Community Profile: Visible Minorities |
Population | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethnicities | White / Aboriginal | 2,898,005 | 57.1 |
| South Asian | 684,070 | 13.5 | |
| Chinese | 486,330 | 9.6 | |
| Black | 352,220 | 6.9 | |
| Filipino | 171,980 | 3.4 | |
| Latin American | 99,295 | 2.0 | |
| West Asian | 75,475 | 1.5 | |
| Southeast Asian | 70,215 | 1.4 | |
| Korean | 55,265 | 1.1 | |
| Arab | 53,430 | 1.1 | |
| Japanese | 19,010 | 0.4 | |
| Multiple minorities | 60,075 | 1.2 | |
| Other | 46,705 | 0.9 | |
| Total population | 5,072,075 | 100 | |
[edit] Religion
Roman Catholics accounted for 33.4% of the population of the City of Toronto in 2001, followed by Protestants with 21.2%. The city also has Islam (6.7%), Christian Orthodox (4.9%), Hindu (4.1%), Jewish (3.5%), Buddhist (2.1%), Sikh (1%), and other communities; 16.6% reported no religious affiliation.[5]
[edit] Languages
While English is the predominant language spoken by Torontonians, Statistics Canada reports that other language groups are significant including Chinese, Portuguese, and Italian. Only 1.4% of city residents claim French (Canada's other official language) as their mother tongue, and a scant few are bilingual in English and French.
[edit] Mother tongue by population
(Toronto CMA 2006)[6]
- English: 2,849,285
- Italian: 194,620
- Chinese (not otherwise specified): 175,900
- Cantonese: 170,490
- Punjabi: 137,730
- Tagalog: 113,875
- Portuguese: 113,015
- Spanish: 112,875
- Urdu: 105,555
- Tamil: 98,265
- Polish: 81,975
- French: 72,590
- Russian: 66,070
- Persian: 65,755
- Mandarin: 63,820
- Arabic: 60,800
- Gujarati: 57,100
- Greek: 48,810
- Korean: 48,795
- Vietnamese: 46,955
- German: 42,075
[edit] Immigration patterns
According to the Canadian government, Toronto has the highest per capita immigration rate in the world.[7] Within Canada itself, 43% of all new immigrants to Canada settle in the Greater Toronto Area adding significantly to Toronto's population.
[edit] References
- ^ A city of unmatched diversity, The Toronto Star, December 5, 2007
- ^ "Population by selected ethnic origins (Toronto)". Statistics Canada. 2001. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/ETO/Table1.cfm?Lang=E&T=501&GV=2&GID=535. Retrieved May 20 2006.
- ^ "Religions in Canada (Toronto)". Statistics Canada. 2001. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/Religion/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=CMA&View=2a&Code=535&Table=1&StartRec=1&Sort=2&B1=501&B2=1. Retrieved May 19 2006.
- ^ http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo47a.htm
- ^ "2001 Community Profiles, Toronto, Ontario (City)". Statistics Canada. 2001. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3520005&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=toronto&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=35&B1=All&Custom=. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
- ^ Detailed Mother Tongue, Toronto CMA 2006, Retrieved on August 8, 2009.
- ^ (BP-190E)
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