Canada 2001 Census

The Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 15 2001. On that Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada was 30,007,094. This was a 4% increase over 1996 Census of 28,846,761. It should be noted that the official Statistics Canada population estimate for 2001 was 31,021,300. This is considered a more accurate population number than the actual count.

The next census will be the 2006 Census.

Canada by the numbers

A summary of information about Canada.

Census summary

Canada has experienced one of the smallest census-to-census growth rates in its population. From 1996 to 2001, the nation's population increased only 4.0%. The Census counted 30,007,094 people on May 15, 2001, compared with 28,846,761 on May 14, 1996.

Only three provinces and one territory had growth rates above the national average. Alberta's population soared 10.3%, Ontario gained 6.1% and British Columbia, 4.9%. Nunavut's population rose 8.1%. The population of Newfoundland and Labrador declined for the second consecutive census period.

Urbanization continued. In 2001, 79.4% of Canadians lived in an urban centre of 10,000 people or more, compared with 78.5% in 1996. Outside the urban centres, the population of rural and small-town areas declined 0.4%.

In 2001, just over 64% of the nation's population, or about 19,297,000 people, lived in the 27 census metropolitan areas (CMAs), up slightly from 63% in 1996. Seven of these 27 CMAs saw their populations grow at a rate of at least double the national average. The strongest rise, by far, occurred in Calgary.

From 1996 to 2001, the nation's population concentrated further in four broad urban regions: the extended Golden Horseshoe in southern Ontario; Montréal and environs; British Columbia's Lower Mainland and southern Vancouver Island; and the Calgary-Edmonton corridor. In 2001, 51% of Canada's population lived in these regions, compared with 49% in 1996.

Population by province

Demographics

Mother tongue

Main article Language in Canada
Population by mother tongue of Canada's official languages:

First nations

Population of First Peoples in Canada:

Ethnic origin

Main article: List of Canadians by ethnicity
Population by ethnic origin. Only those origins with more than 250,000 respondants are included here. It should be noted that this is based entirely on self reporting.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Canada
Population by religion. Only those religions with more than 250,000 respondants are included here. It should be noted that this is based entirely on self reporting.

Visible minorities

Age

Population by age:

Methodology

Every person is legally required to return the census questionaire that required answering basic demographic information. In addition randomly selected people were legally required to complete a much more detailed questionaire.

On May 15, 2001, Statistics Canada had thousands of canvasers who went around to try and ensure that the entire population was counted. For the first time, this included canvasers who went to homeless shelters to ensure that the homeless were included in the census.

In addition to a small number of individuals that refuse to participate, some first nation communities refused to participate en masse and therefore some of the statistics are inaccuarate. This is noted as footnotes in many of the effected results.

Effects of Census

The census numbers are the basis of the federal governments transfer payments to the provinces and therefore when a province loses population, its transfer payments are decreased.

In addition, the census numbers are one of the elements that Elections Canada uses to create the boundaries of federal ridings.

See also

• Demographics of Canada

External Links

2001 Census – Statistics Canada's page on the 2001 Census.