Population Change, 2001-2006

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Abstract

Between 2001 and 2006, Canada’s population grew by 5.4%. Only two provinces, Alberta and Ontario and three territories registered growth rates above the national average. The three Maritime provinces (Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) had the smallest population growth, while Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan experienced population declines. In 2006, about 21.5 million people, almost two-thirds of Canada’s population lived in 33 census metropolitan areas (CMAs). Between 2001 and 2006, the population of these CMAs climbed 6.9%, faster that the national average. Barrie registered the fastest population growth of any CMA (19.2%), followed by Calgary (13.4%), Oshawa (11.6%) and Edmonton (10.4%).

Between 2001 and 2006, Canada’s population grew from 30 007 094 to 31 612 897, a gain of 5.4%. This compares with a growth rate of 4.0% in the previous intercensal period, from 1996 to 2001. Between 2001 and 2006, only two provinces and the three territories registered growth rates above the national average. Alberta’s population surged by 10.6%, while Ontario gained 6.6%, Yukon, 5.9%, Northwest Territories, 11.0% and Nunavut, 10.2%. Care should be exercised in comparing the Northwest Territories 2006 Census population counts with counts from the 2001 Census. In 2001, the net undercount for the Northwest Territories was estimated at 8.11%, substantially higher than the national level of 2.99%, and almost double its 1996 level. The increase in the population between 2001 and 2006 is likely overstated due to improvements in coverage of the Northwest Territories in 2006.

The three Maritime provinces (Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) had the smallest population growth (less than 1.0%), while Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan experienced population declines, at a rate of 1.5% and 1.1%, respectively. For the first time since it joined Confederation, the population growth of British Columbia was slightly below the national average, at 5.3%, although still higher than the previous intercensal period, 1996 to 2001 (4.9%).

In 2006, about 21.5 million people, almost two-thirds of Canada’s population lived in 33 census metropolitan areas (CMAs). Between 2001 and 2006, the population of these CMAs climbed 6.9%, faster that the national average of 5.4%. The CMAs with the strongest growth were located in three regions: the Greater Golden Horseshoe region in southern Ontario, the Calgary Edmonton corridor in Alberta, and British Columbia's Lower Mainland and southern Vancouver Island. Barrie registered the fastest population growth of any CMA (19.2%), followed by Calgary (13.4%), Oshawa (11.6%), and Edmonton (10.4%). Moncton was the only CMA in the Atlantic provinces whose growth rate (6.5%) surpassed the national average between 2001 and 2006. CMAs with the weakest growth include Regina and Thunder Bay, which grew minimally at a rate of 1.1% and 0.8%, respectively, while Saguenay (-2.1%) and Saint John ( 0.2%) experienced declines.

The rate of growth among the mid-size urban centres (census agglomerations or CAs) between 2001 and 2006 was 4%, although eight of the CAs had a growth rate of more than 10%, with seven of them in Alberta (Okotoks, 46.7%; Wood Buffalo, 23.6%; Grande Prairie, 22.3%; Red Deer, 22%; Lloydminster, 21%; Canmore, 11.6%; and Medicine Hat, 11.5%). Most CAs whose population declined since 2001 were located in resource-based economic areas. For example, the CAs with the fastest-declining populations were all in northern British Columbia (Kitimat, 12.6%; Prince Rupert, -12.5%; Quesnel, -8.1%; Terrace, -7%; and Williams Lake, 5.1%), in a region dependent on the forestry industry.

Of the 25 fastest-growing small towns and rural communities since 2001, 14 are located less than 50 kilometres from Montréal, Toronto or Vancouver. Six others are found close to another CMA. Sylvan Lake, near the CA of Red Deer, Alberta, is the fastest-growing small town (at 36.1%). And 9 of these fastest-growing small towns were in Quebec, most of them north of Montréal in the resort area of the Laurentians (for example, Prévost, 22.4%; Chertsey, 21.7%; and Sainte Adèle, 15.4%). Also growing was the resort town in Ontario called Wasaga Beach (21.0%), on the shores of Georgian Bay.

In contrast, the 25 fastest-declining small towns and rural communities were located far from the urban centres, such as Kapuskasing (-7.9%) in northern Ontario, La Sarre (-5.1%) in Quebec and Flin Flon (-6.8%) in northern Manitoba. Others were in mountainous areas, such as Banff (-6.1%) and Crowsnest Pass (-8.2%) in Alberta and Trail (-4.5%) and Kimberley (-5.3%) in British Columbia. Still others were in agricultural areas, such as Oromocto, New Brunswick (-5.0%) or close to the ocean, such as Marystown, Newfoundland and Labrador (-8.0%) and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia (-5.3%).

Between 2001 and 2006, the rural population increased by 1.0%, but unevenly geographically: rural areas close to urban centres grew at a much faster rate (4.7%) than more remote rural areas which faced a slight decline (-0.1%). Apart from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Alberta experienced the fastest-growing rural population between 2001 and 2006 (+3.8%). Even so, this rate of growth was still below the national average.

The Daily is Statistics Canada's official release bulletin. The Daily for March 13, 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: Population and Dwelling Count Highlight Tables, 2006 Census.

The text was adapted from Statistics Canada, Portrait of the Canadian Population in 2006, 2006 Census, Catalogue number 97-550-XWE2006001. 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 Statistic Canada’s regional offices, its World Wide Web site at www.statcan.gc.ca, and its toll-free access number 1-800-263-1136.