Toronto’s growth slips behind
Mar 13, 2007 09:29 AM
Curtis Rush
Staff Reporter
Toronto is lagging behind other Canadian cities in population growth, but the 905 region is booming, according to 2006 census figures released today by Statistics Canada.
While Canada’s population has increased 5.4 per cent since 2001, to 32,503,281, Toronto’s population edged up 0.9 per cent, to 2.5 million.
Yet bedroom communities such as Milton, Brampton, Vaughan, and Whitby are experiencing explosive growth, according to the figures.
In fact, Milton had the biggest percentage gain of any city in Canada over the past five years with a 71.4 per cent growth rate.
Also in the top 10 were Brampton, No. 4 at 33.3 per cent; Vaughan, No. 6 at 31.2 per cent; and Whitby, No. 10 at 27.2 per cent.
Census data are used to create policies at all levels of government. For instance, several billion dollars in government transfer and equalization payments are based on population figures
The latest census also shows that Alberta, which is drawing thousands of migrant workers to the oil and gas business, had the hottest growth rate of all the provinces and territories, at 10.6 per cent. Ontario was second at 6.6 per cent.
Alberta’s 10.6 per cent population gain was attributed mostly to the influx of people from other parts of Canada who have gone there to work in the oil business.
Other provinces that experienced growth were British Columbia (5.3 per cent), Quebec (4.3 per cent), Manitoba (2.6 per cent), Nova Scotia (0.6 per cent), Prince Edward Island (0.4 per cent) and New Brunswick (0.1 per cent).
The new census data shows the provinces that experienced loss in population were Newfoundland and Labrador (-1.5 per cent) and Saskatchewan (-1.1 per cent).
In the North, all three territories experienced growth higher than the national average from 2001-06.
Nunavut’s population grew 10.2 per cent and the Yukon increased 5.9 per cent. The population of the Northwest Territories increased 11.0 per cent, but Statistics Canada cautioned that the actual growth rate may not be that high. It said the increase is likely the result of an “undercount” of N.W.T. inhabitants in 2001.
Canada’s population as of census day 2006 was 31,612,897, Statistics Canada reported.
Ontario remains the most populous Canadian province or territory, with a population of 12,160,282. The population of other provinces and territories: Quebec, 7,546,131; British Columbia, 4,113,487; Alberta, 3,290,350; Manitoba, 1,148,401; Saskatchewan, 968,157; Nova Scotia, 913,462; New Brunswick, 729,997; Newfoundland and Labrador, 505,469; Prince Edward Island, 135,851; Northwest Territories, 41,464; Yukon Territory, 30,372 and Nunavut, 29,474.
The census is conducted every five years by Statistics Canada and is based on information filled out by Canadians on census day on May 16, 2006.
The information released Tuesday is the first in a series of census data that will be released periodically over the next 15 months. Future data will give demographic breakdowns on dozens of topics, including age, sex, marital status, language, ethnic origin, education and income.
with files from Canadian Press
