Demographics of British Columbia
Population of British Columbia (2016): 4,648,055
Percentage of National Population: 13.2% (unchanged)
Population Growth Rate: 5.6%
Contents
Vital statistics[edit]
Birth rate: 1.2 births per 1,000 [1] (Canadian average ≈ 11)
Death rate: 2.3 deaths per 1,000
Infant mortality rate: 4.0 deaths per 1,000 live births [2]
Life expectancy at birth: 81.12 years[3]
Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born per woman [4] (Canadian average = 1.61)
Population of British Columbia since 1851[edit]
Year | Population | Five year % change |
Ten year % change |
Rank among provinces |
---|---|---|---|---|
1851 | 55,000 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
1861 | 51,524 | n/a | -6.3 | n/a |
1871 | 36,247 | n/a | -29.7 | 7 |
1881 | 49,459 | n/a | 36.4 | 8 |
1891 | 98,173 | n/a | 98.5 | 8 |
1901 | 178,657 | n/a | 82.0 | 6 |
1911 | 392,480 | n/a | 119.7 | 6 |
1921 | 524,582 | n/a | 33.7 | 6 |
1931 | 694,263 | n/a | 32.3 | 6 |
1941 | 817,861 | n/a | 17.8 | 4 |
1951 | 1,165,210 | n/a | 42.5 | 3 |
1956 | 1,398,464 | 20.0 | n/a | 3 |
1961 | 1,629,082 | 16.5 | 39.8 | 3 |
1966 | 1,873,674 | 15.0 | 34.0 | 3 |
1971 | 2,184,620 | 16.6 | 34.1 | 3 |
1976 | 2,466,610 | 12.9 | 31.6 | 3 |
1981 | 2,744,467 | 11.3 | 25.6 | 3 |
1986 | 2,883,370 | 5.1 | 16.9 | 3 |
1991 | 3,282,061 | 13.8 | 19.6 | 3 |
1996 | 3,724,500 | 13.5 | 29.2 | 3 |
2001 | 3,907,738 | 4.9 | 19.1 | 3 |
2006 | 4,113,487 | 5.4 | 10.4 | 3 |
2011 | 4,400,057 | 7.0 | 12.6 | 3 |
2016 | 4,648,055 | 5.6 | 13.0 | 3 |
- Source: Statistics Canada[5]
Age structure[edit]
Males | Females | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Age Group |
Number | Percent | Number | Percent |
0-4 | 105,808 | 2.4% | 100,116 | 2.2% |
5-9 | 117,909 | 2.8% | 111,383 | 2.6% |
10-14 | 133,809 | 3.1% | 126,388 | 3.0% |
15-19 | 143,449 | 3.4% | 136,227 | 3.2% |
20-24 | 155,369 | 3.7% | 147,770 | 3.5% |
25-29 | 139,521 | 3.3% | 138,299 | 3.3% |
30-34 | 144,788 | 3.4% | 145,869 | 3.4% |
35-39 | 155,429 | 3.7% | 158,364 | 3.7% |
40-44 | 177,381 | 4.2% | 179,216 | 4.2% |
45-49 | 172,786 | 4.1% | 177,082 | 4.2% |
50-54 | 157,596 | 3.7% | 159,965 | 3.8% |
55-59 | 138,096 | 3.2% | 139,772 | 3.3% |
60-64 | 101,610 | 2.4% | 103,764 | 2.4% |
65-69 | 80,051 | 1.9% | 82,363 | 1.9% |
70-74 | 70,060 | 1.6% | 72,493 | 1.7% |
75-79 | 54,572 | 1.3% | 64,344 | 1.5% |
80-84 | 36,304 | 0.8% | 53,047 | 1.2% |
85+ | 24,544 | 0.6% | 48,978 | 1.1% |
Totals | 2,109,082 | 49.6% | 2,145,440 | 50.4% |
Ethnicity[edit]
British Columbia has a very diverse ethnic population. First-generation immigrants from the British Isles remain a strong component of local society despite limitations on immigration from Britain since the ending of special status for British subjects in the 1960s. Also present in large numbers relative to other cities in Canada (except Toronto), and also present in BC ever since the province was first settled (unlike Toronto), are many European ethnicities of the first and second generation, notably Germans, Ukrainians, Scandinavians, Yugoslavs and Italians; third-generation Europeans are generally of mixed lineage, and traditionally intermarried with other ethnic groups more than in any other Canadian province. In recent decades, the proportion of those of Chinese and South Asian ethnicity has risen sharply, though still outnumbered by the historically-strong population of those of German ancestry. Visible minorities have become an important factor in ethnic-based politics, though most visible minorities are less numerous than the long-standing non-British European ethnicities making up BC's "invisible minorities".
- Further information: Statistics Canada. "Population by selected ethnic origins, by province and territory (2006 Census) (British Columbia)"[7]
Note: The following statistics represent both single (e.g., "German") and multiple (e.g., "part Chinese, part English") responses to the 2006 and 2016 Census, and thus add up to more than 100%.
Ethnic Origin | Population (2016)[8] | Percent (2016) | Population (2006) | Percent (2006) |
---|---|---|---|---|
English | 1,203,540 | 26.39% | 1,207,245 | 29.63% |
Canadian | 866,530 | 19% | 720,200 | 17.67% |
Scottish | 860,775 | 18.88% | 828,145 | 20.32% |
Irish | 675,135 | 14.80% | 618,120 | 15.17% |
German | 603,265 | 13.23% | 561,570 | 13.78% |
Chinese | 540,155 | 11.84% | 432,435 | 10.60% |
French | 388,815 | 8.53% | 361,215 | 8.86% |
Indian | 309,315 | 6.78% | 232,370 | 5.70% |
Ukrainian | 229,205 | 5.03% | 197,265 | 4.84% |
Native American | 220,245 | 4.83% | 193,060 | 4.74% |
Dutch (Netherlands) | 213,670 | 4.69% | 196,420 | 4.82% |
Italian | 166,095 | 3.64% | 143,155 | 3.51% |
Polish | 149,635 | 3.28% | 128,360 | 3.15% |
Norwegian | 138,430 | 3.04% | 129,420 | 3.18% |
Russian | 131,060 | 2.87% | 114,105 | 2.80% |
Welsh | 113,905 | 2.5% | 104,275 | 2.56% |
Swedish | 110,030 | 2.41% | 104,025 | 2.55% |
Filipino | 158,215 | 3.47% | N/A | N/A |
Métis | 90,515 | 1.98% | N/A | N/A |
American (USA) | 78,170 | 1.71% | N/A | N/A |
Spanish | 64,470 | 1.41% | N/A | N/A |
Korean | 63,300 | 1.39% | N/A | N/A |
Danish | 58,205 | 1.28% | N/A | N/A |
Hungarian (Magyar) | 56,535 | 1.24% | N/A | N/A |
Japanese | 51,150 | 1.12% | N/A | N/A |
- Source: Statistics Canada[9]
Future Projections[edit]
Ethnic Origin by Regional Group | Population in 2016[10] | Percent of 4,560,240 | Population in 2036[11][12] | Percent of 5,709,000 |
---|---|---|---|---|
European origins | 2,908,420 | 63.8% | 2,907,000 | 50.9% |
East and Southeast Asian origins | 820,065 | 18% | 1,339,000 | 23.5% |
South and West Asian origins | 414,400 | 9.1% | 712,000 | 12.5% |
Aboriginal origins | 270,585 | 5.9% | 428,000 | 7.5% |
Latin, Central and South American origins | 44,115 | 1% | 91,000 | 1.6% |
African origins | 43,500 | 1% | 80,000 | 1.4% |
Arab origins | 19,840 | 0.4% | 55,000 | 1% |
Other | 49,225 | 1.1% | 97,000 | 1.7% |
*Percentages total more than 100% due to multiple responses, e.g. German-East Indian, Norwegian-Irish-Polish |
Indo-Canadians[edit]
Visible minorities and Aboriginal Peoples[edit]
- Note: Statistics Canada defines visible minorities as defined in the Employment Equity Act which defines visible minorities as "persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour".
Visible minority and Aboriginal population (Canada 2016 Census) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Population group | Population | % of total population | |
European | 2,908,420 | 63.8% | |
Visible minority group Source:[13] |
South Asian | 365,705 | 8% |
Chinese | 508,480 | 11.2% | |
Black | 43,500 | 1% | |
Filipino | 145,025 | 3.2% | |
Latin American | 44,115 | 1% | |
Arab | 19,840 | 0.4% | |
Southeast Asian | 54,920 | 1.2% | |
West Asian | 48,695 | 1.1% | |
Korean | 60,495 | 1.3% | |
Japanese | 51,145 | 1.1% | |
Visible minority, n.i.e. | 8,760 | 0.2% | |
Multiple visible minority | 40,465 | 0.9% | |
Total visible minority population | 1,381,235 | 30.3% | |
Aboriginal group Source:[14] |
First Nations | 172,520 | 3.8% |
Métis | 89,405 | 2% | |
Inuit | 1,610 | 0% | |
Aboriginal, n.i.e. | 2,695 | 0.1% | |
Multiple Aboriginal identity | 4,350 | 0.1% | |
Total Aboriginal population | 270,585 | 5.9% | |
Total population | 4,560,240 | 100% |
Migration[edit]
Immigration[edit]
A large number of immigrants have lived in British Columbia for 30 years or less.[8]
Interprovincial Migration[edit]
British Columbia has traditionally been gaining population from interprovincial migration. Over the last 46 years, British Columbia only had 12 years of negative interprovincial immigration: the lowest in the country. The only time they significantly lost population to this phenomenon was during the 1990s, when they were in the negatives for 5 consecutive years.[15]
In-migrants | Out-migrants | Net migration | |
---|---|---|---|
2007 / 2008 | 57,396 | 42,753 | 14,643 |
2008 / 2009 | 51,061 | 41,066 | 9,995 |
2009 / 2010 | 49,469 | 40,741 | 8,728 |
2010 / 2011 | 47,854 | 44,433 | 3,421 |
2011 / 2012 | 48,593 | 51,304 | -2,711 |
2012 / 2013 | 43,830 | 45,698 | -1,868 |
2013 / 2014 | 52,281 | 42,806 | 9,475 |
2014 / 2015 | 61,026 | 40,647 | 20,379 |
2015 / 2016 | 63,788 | 37,215 | 26,573 |
2016 / 2017 | 59,583 | 43,420 | 16,163 |
Source: Statistics Canada[16]
Religions[edit]
Population by religion, Canada and BC (2001 Census) |
Canada | B.C. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
number | % | number | % | |
Total population | 29,639,035 | 3,868,875 | ||
No religious affiliation | 4,900,090 | 17% | 1,388,300 | 36% |
Protestant | 8,654,850 | 29% | 1,213,295 | 31% |
Catholic | 12,936,905 | 44% | 675,320 | 17% |
Christian not included elsewhere | 780,450 | 3% | 200,345 | 5% |
Sikh | 278,410 | 1% | 135,310 | 3% |
Buddhist | 300,345 | 1% | 85,540 | 2% |
Muslim | 579,640 | 2% | 56,220 | 1% |
Christian Orthodox | 479,620 | 2% | 35,655 | 1% |
Hindu | 297,200 | 1% | 31,500 | 1% |
Jewish | 329,995 | 1% | 21,230 | 1% |
Eastern religions | 37,550 | 0% | 9,970 | 0% |
Other religions | 63,975 | 0% | 16,205 | 0% |
Source: Statistics Canada 2001 Census http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo30c.htm |
Languages[edit]
Language(s) first learned and still understood | Total | % | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|---|
English only | 2,825,780 | 73.03% | 1,403,230 | 1,422,545 |
French only | 54,405 | 1.41% | 27,340 | 27,060 |
Both English and French | 6,784 | 0.18% | 3,360 | 3,452 |
Other languages | 981,910 | 25.38% | 470,145 | 511,765 |
Source: Statistics Canada 2001 Census |
See also[edit]
- Demographics of Canada
- List of Canadian provinces and territories by population
- Demographics of Vancouver
- Demographics of Abbotsford, British Columbia
References[edit]
- ^ BC's birth rate, teen births lowest in Pacific Northwest — Sightline Institute
- ^ 25_imr.FH10
- ^ http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/DATA/pop/vital/exp0_bc.csv
- ^ Northwest's birth rate, teen births hit record lows — Sightline Institute
- ^ Statistics Canada - Population
- ^ http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/data/pop/pop/dynamic/PopulationStatistics/Query.asp?category=Health&type=HA&topic=Estimates&agegrouptype=Standard&subtype=®ion=0&year=2005&agegroup=5-year&gender=a&rowsperpage=50000&output=file
- ^ Population by selected ethnic origins, by province and territory (2006 Census) (British Columbia)
- ^ a b "Census Profile, 2016 Census British Columbia [Province]". Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- ^ 2001 Canadian Census Archived 2006-06-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census British Columbia [Province]". Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- ^ "Population by visible minority group, place of residence and projection scenario, Canada, 2011 and 2036". Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- ^ "Projections of the Aboriginal Population and Households in Canada, 2011 to 2036" (PDF). Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- ^ [1], Community Profiles from the 2006 Census, Statistics Canada - Province/Territory
- ^ [2], Aboriginal Population Profile from the 2006 Census, Statistics Canada - Province/Territory
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