Overall Sex Composition, 2006

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Abstract

In 2006, Canada’s population consisted of 49% males (15.5 million) and 51% females (16.1 million), a sex ratio of 96 males per hundred females. Females outnumbered males in every province except for Alberta and the three territories. Alberta had the most balanced sex ratio, with almost half male and half female. The map shows the sex distribution by census division and census subdivision.

In general, patterns of sex composition in Canada are similar to those observed in most industrialized aging societies where females tend to outlive males. In Canada, females outnumbered males everywhere except Alberta and the three territories. The highest proportions of males compared to female were found in Nunavut (51.3% versus 48.7%), followed by Northwest Territories (51.2% versus 48.8%) and Yukon (50.3% versus 49.7%). The male predominance in the territories is due to the economic dominance of mining and other primary industries requiring large amounts of manual labour. In Alberta, the number of females was very close to that of males. This can be attributed to the higher net influx of young men to that province. Lethbridge, Brooks, Rocky View, Mountain View, Red Deer, Ponoka, Sturgeon, Bonnyville, Yellowhead, Wood Buffalo, and Grande Prairie were some of the places in this province with a relatively high proportion of males.

The Daily is Statistics Canada's official release bulletin. The Daily for July 17, 2007, marked the public release of this census variable. Highlight tables allowing users to perform simple rank and sort functions with the data at various levels of geography are available for this variable here: Age and Sex Highlight Tables, 2006 Census.

The text was adapted from Statistics Canada, Portrait of the Canadian Population in 2006 by Age and Sex, 2006 Census, Catalogue number 97-551-XWE2006001 and Report on the Demographic Situation in Canada: 2005 and 2006, Catalogue number 91-209-X. Statistics Canada information is used with the permission of Statistics Canada. Information on the availability of the wide range of data from Statistics Canada can be obtained from the Statistics Canada's Regional Offices, its World Wide Web site at: www.statcan.gc.ca, and its toll-free access number 1-800-263-1136.