Housing Statistics in Canada
Housing Experiences in Canada: Japanese people in 2016
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The Housing Experiences in Canada series of fact sheets highlights the diversity of housing situations experienced by different groups of people living across Canada.
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Highlights from the 2016 Census: Japanese population
This fact sheet focuses on Japanese people living in private dwellings. The statistics below are derived from the 2016 Census. For the purposes of this analysis, Japanese people were identified based on responses to the population group question on the census questionnaire, which is primarily used to identify racialized Canadians, defined as the visible minority population in the Employment Equity Act.Note 1 Because this fact sheet focuses on Japanese people in private dwellings, those living in collective dwellings are not included in the data.Note 2 More fact sheets are available on the Housing Experiences in Canada series page.
The National Housing Strategy Act (2019) declared that “the right to adequate housing is a fundamental human right affirmed in international law.” Adequate housing is understood in international law as housing that provides secure tenure; is affordable; is habitable; provides access to basic infrastructure; is located close to employment, services and amenities; is accessible for people of all abilities; and is culturally appropriate.
This fact sheet focuses on the experience of Japanese people living in private dwellings using the following indicators collected and produced by Statistics Canada: tenure status of the household, shelter costs, housing affordability and suitability, condition of the dwelling, core housing need, and household living arrangements.
While these indicators together do not perfectly measure adequate housing as defined in international law, they are nevertheless useful proxies for understanding the housing experiences of people living in Canada.
Tenure status of household
The tenure status of a household refers to whether the household owns or rents its private dwelling.Note 3 Homeownership is an important aspect of Canadian society and can affect outcomes for many housing indicators. For this reason, owner and renter households are often considered separately in housing analyses. In many cases, researchers further examine whether households in owner-occupied dwellings have mortgages on their dwellings and whether renter households pay subsidized rent.
According to the 2016 Census, Japanese people lived in private dwellings owned by a member of their household at a similar rate as the total population. Of the 92,920 Japanese people in Canada, 71.2% lived in a private dwelling owned by a member of their household, compared with 71.6% of the total population.
The proportion of Japanese people living in rented dwellings (28.5%) was higher than that of the total population (26.6%), but Japanese people were less likely to live in subsidized rented dwellings (2.4%) than the total population (3.3%). Of the 26,465 Japanese people who lived in rented dwellings, 2,255 (2.4% of all Japanese people) lived in subsidized housing, and 24,210 (26.1%) lived in non-subsidized housing.
Of the 66,115 Japanese people who owned their home, or lived with someone who owned their home, 38,450 (41.4% of all Japanese people) lived in a dwelling with a mortgage, and the remaining 27,675 (29.8%) lived in a dwelling without a mortgage. Japanese people were more likely to live in an owner-occupied dwelling without a mortgage (29.8%) than the total population (23.3%).
| Japanese population | Total population | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| count | percent | count | percent | |
| Total, tenure status | 92,920 | 100.0 | 34,460,065 | 100.0 |
| Owner | 66,115 | 71.2 | 24,683,880 | 71.6 |
| With a mortgage | 38,450 | 41.4 | 16,670,675 | 48.4 |
| Without a mortgage | 27,675 | 29.8 | 8,013,205 | 23.3 |
| Renter | 26,465 | 28.5 | 9,164,150 | 26.6 |
| Subsidized housing | 2,255 | 2.4 | 1,135,275 | 3.3 |
| Not subsidized housing | 24,210 | 26.1 | 8,028,875 | 23.3 |
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Note: Figures may not add up to 100% because of rounding. Source: 2016 Census of Population |
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Shelter costs
Shelter costs refer to the monthly dwelling-related expenses paid by households, including mortgage or rent. For owner-occupied dwellings, shelter costs include, where applicable, mortgage payments, property taxes and condominium fees, along with the costs of electricity, heat, water and other municipal services. For renter households, shelter costs include, where applicable, rent and the costs of electricity, heat, water and other municipal services.
In Canada, the median shelter cost paid by Japanese households ($1,060) was similar to the median shelter cost paid by all households ($1,020) in 2016.Note 4
Japanese households in rented dwellings had higher median shelter costs than all renter households, while costs were similar for those in owner-occupied dwellings. For Japanese households in rented dwellings, the median shelter cost was $1,150, higher than that for all households ($910). The median shelter cost paid by Japanese households in owner-occupied dwellings was $930, compared with $1,130 for all households.
The median shelter cost paid by renter households usually depends on the presence of a rent subsidy.Note 5 Japanese households in rented dwellings with a subsidy ($750) had higher median monthly shelter costs than all households in rented dwellings with a subsidy ($524). Median shelter costs for Japanese households in rented dwellings without a subsidy ($1,200) were also higher than the shelter costs for all households in rented dwellings without a subsidy ($960).
The median shelter cost paid by households in owner-occupied dwellings is typically larger when there is a mortgage, which can represent a large portion of monthly shelter costs. Japanese households with a mortgage on their dwelling ($1,820) paid more per month in median shelter costs than all households in owner-occupied dwellings with a mortgage ($1,620). Median shelter costs for Japanese households in owner-occupied dwellings without a mortgage ($580) were similar to those for all owner households without a mortgage ($540).
| Japanese households | All households | |
|---|---|---|
| median (dollars) | ||
| Total, shelter costsTable 2 Note 1 | 1,060 | 1,020 |
| Owner | 930 | 1,130 |
| With a mortgage | 1,820 | 1,620 |
| Without a mortgage | 580 | 540 |
| Renter | 1,150 | 910 |
| Subsidized housing | 750 | 524 |
| Not subsidized housing | 1,200 | 960 |
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Housing affordability
Housing affordability is derived using the shelter-cost-to-income ratio, which refers to the proportion of average total income households spend on shelter costs. A household is said to have affordable housing if it spends less than 30% of its total income on shelter costs.Note 6
According to the 2016 Census, Japanese people were more likely to live in households that spent more than 30% of their total household income on shelter. Among Japanese people, 19,570 (21.2%) lived in households that spent more than 30% of their total income on shelter, compared with 20.0% of the total population.
Japanese people in rented dwellings (38.8%) experienced unaffordable housing at a higher rate than the total population in rented dwellings (34.5%). For Japanese people in owner-occupied dwellings (14.2%), the rate of unaffordable housing was similar to that for the total population (14.7%).
The rate of unaffordable housing was similar for Japanese people in renter households with a subsidy (32.4%) and the total renter population with a subsidy (32.3%) and higher for Japanese people in renter households without a subsidy (39.4%) compared with the total renter population without a subsidy (34.8%).
For those living in owner-occupied dwellings, the rate of unaffordable housing differed depending on the presence of a mortgage. Japanese people in households with a mortgage (20.9%) were more likely to live in unaffordable housing than the total population with a mortgage (19.6%), while the proportion of Japanese people in households without a mortgage living in unaffordable housing (4.8%) was similar to that of the total population without a mortgage (4.4%).
| Japanese population | Total population | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| count | percent | count | percent | |
| Total, shelter-cost-to-income ratioTable 3 Note 1 | 92,275 | 100.0 | 33,642,820 | 100.0 |
| Spending more than 30% of income on shelter costs | 19,570 | 21.2 | 6,742,050 | 20.0 |
| Owner | 9,360 | 14.2 | 3,605,535 | 14.7 |
| With a mortgage | 8,030 | 20.9 | 3,257,230 | 19.6 |
| Without a mortgage | 1,335 | 4.8 | 348,300 | 4.4 |
| Renter | 10,210 | 38.8 | 3,136,520 | 34.5 |
| Subsidized housing | 730 | 32.4 | 361,270 | 32.3 |
| Not subsidized housing | 9,480 | 39.4 | 2,775,245 | 34.8 |
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Housing suitability
Housing suitability refers to whether a private household is living in suitable accommodations according to the National Occupancy Standard (NOS), that is, whether the dwelling has enough bedrooms for the size and composition of the household. The indicator assesses the required number of bedrooms for a household based on the age and sex of household members, and the relationships between them.
According to the 2016 Census, Japanese people lived in unsuitable housing at a similar rate as the total population; 7,860 Japanese people (8.5%) lived in unsuitable housing, compared with 8.9% of the total population. This means that there were not enough bedrooms in the dwelling to meet the needs of the household, according to the NOS.
Japanese people in owner-occupied dwellings (4.7%) were almost as likely to live in unsuitable housing as the total population in owner-occupied dwellings (5.4%). The difference was even smaller for those in rented dwellings—the share of Japanese people living in unsuitable dwellings (17.9%) was similar to that of the total population (17.8%).
When owner-occupied dwellings are differentiated by the presence of a mortgage, Japanese people living in dwellings with (5.9%) and without (3.0%) a mortgage experienced unsuitable housing at a similar rate as the total population in dwellings with (6.4%) and without (3.4%) a mortgage.
Japanese people in renter households with a subsidy had lower rates of unsuitable housing than the total population. There was a 4.6% percentage point difference between the unsuitable housing rates of Japanese people (14.6%) and the total population (19.2%) living in subsidized housing. The rate of unsuitable housing for Japanese people without a subsidy (18.2%) was similar to that for the total population without a subsidy (17.6%).
| Japanese population | Total population | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| count | percent | count | percent | |
| Total, housing suitability | 92,920 | 100.0 | 34,460,065 | 100.0 |
| Not suitable | 7,860 | 8.5 | 3,081,315 | 8.9 |
| Owner | 3,115 | 4.7 | 1,335,345 | 5.4 |
| With a mortgage | 2,270 | 5.9 | 1,062,985 | 6.4 |
| Without a mortgage | 835 | 3.0 | 272,365 | 3.4 |
| Renter | 4,740 | 17.9 | 1,631,845 | 17.8 |
| Subsidized housing | 330 | 14.6 | 218,130 | 19.2 |
| Not subsidized housing | 4,410 | 18.2 | 1,413,720 | 17.6 |
| Source: 2016 Census of Population | ||||
Condition of dwelling
Data on condition of dwelling are used to provide some insight into whether housing is habitable. Dwellings are classified into three groups by condition: needing regular maintenance only, needing minor repairs and needing major repairs. Dwellings in need of major repairs are considered to be inadequate housing. Examples of dwellings in need of major repairs include homes with defective plumbing or electrical wiring, and housing needing structural repairs to walls, floors, or ceilings.
According to the 2016 Census, Japanese people (6.3%) lived in private dwellings that were in need of major repairs at a similar rate as the total population (6.7%).
Japanese people in owner-occupied dwellings (6.3%) also lived in dwellings in need of major repairs at a similar rate as the total population in owner-occupied dwellings (5.5%). A larger difference could be seen among those in renter households—Japanese people (6.3%) were less likely to live in dwellings in need of major repairs than the total population (8.8%).
Japanese people in owner-occupied dwellings with a mortgage (6.6%) were more likely to live in dwellings in need of major repairs than those without a mortgage (6.0%). These rates were similar to the corresponding ones for the total population.
Among Japanese people in renter households with a subsidy, 7.1% lived in dwellings in need of major repairs. This was lower than the proportion of the total renter population with a subsidy (11.6%) living in dwellings in need of major repairs.
| Japanese population | Total population | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| count | percent | count | percent | |
| Total, dwelling condition | 92,920 | 100.0 | 34,460,065 | 100.0 |
| Dwelling in need of major repairs | 5,860 | 6.3 | 2,298,760 | 6.7 |
| Owner | 4,185 | 6.3 | 1,351,740 | 5.5 |
| With a mortgage | 2,525 | 6.6 | 956,105 | 5.7 |
| Without a mortgage | 1,655 | 6.0 | 395,640 | 4.9 |
| Renter | 1,675 | 6.3 | 807,125 | 8.8 |
| Subsidized housing | 160 | 7.1 | 131,670 | 11.6 |
| Not subsidized housing | 1,515 | 6.3 | 675,460 | 8.4 |
| Source: 2016 Census of Population | ||||
Core housing need
Core housing need touches on several elements of the right to adequate housing. It considers whether the affordability, suitability, and condition of dwelling needs of the household are being met and if not, whether affordable rental housing is available that meets all these needs. A household is said to be in core housing need if its dwelling falls below at least one of the affordability, suitability, or condition of dwelling standards, and it would have to spend 30% or more of its total before-tax income to pay the median rent of alternative local housing that is acceptable (meets all three housing standards).
According to the 2016 Census, Japanese people (10.7%) lived in households in core housing need at a similar rate as the total population (10.6%).
Japanese people in owner-occupied (5.7%) and rented (24.3%) dwellings were also in core housing need at a similar rate than the total population in owner-occupied (5.4%) and rented (25.3%) dwellings.
The incidence of core housing need varied for renters depending on whether there was a rent subsidy. Japanese people in renter households with a subsidy (32.0%) were less likely to be in core housing need than the total population with a subsidy (39.9%).
| Japanese population | Total population | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| count | percent | count | percent | |
| Total, core housing needTable 6 Note 1 | 88,880 | 100.0 | 32,803,125 | 100.0 |
| In core housing need | 9,545 | 10.7 | 3,492,080 | 10.6 |
| Owner | 3,690 | 5.7 | 1,307,620 | 5.4 |
| With a mortgage | 2,425 | 6.5 | 971,150 | 6.0 |
| Without a mortgage | 1,265 | 4.6 | 336,470 | 4.3 |
| Renter | 5,855 | 24.3 | 2,184,455 | 25.3 |
| Subsidized housing | 685 | 32.0 | 433,190 | 39.9 |
| Not subsidized housing | 5,170 | 23.6 | 1,751,265 | 23.2 |
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Housing experiences of Japanese men and women
In 1995, the Government of Canada committed to using Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) to advance gender equality in Canada, as part of the ratification of the United Nations’ Beijing Platform for Action.
Gender equality is enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which is part of the Constitution of Canada. Gender equality means that diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people are able to participate fully in all spheres of Canadian life, contributing to an inclusive and democratic society.
GBA Plus is an analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people may experience policies, programs and initiatives. The “Plus” in GBA Plus is not just about differences between people on the basis of gender. We all have multiple characteristics that intersect and contribute to who we are. GBA Plus considers many other identity factors, such as race, ethnicity, immigrant status, religion, age and presence of a mental or physical disability, and how the interaction between these factors influences the way we experience government policies and initiatives.
The data presented here highlight differences in housing experiences for Japanese men and women. Compared with Japanese men, Japanese women were more likely to live in unaffordable housing and be in core housing need.
| Japanese men | Japanese women | |
|---|---|---|
| percent | ||
| In an owner-occupied dwelling | 71.6 | 70.8 |
| In household spending 30% or more of income on shelter costsTable 7 Note 1 | 20.1 | 22.1 |
| In unsuitable housing | 8.3 | 8.6 |
| In dwelling requiring major repairs | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| In core housing needTable 7 Note 2 | 9.8 | 11.5 |
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More information on GBA Plus can be found at the Government of Canada’s Status of Women web page.
More information on the housing experiences of other subpopulations, broken down by age and gender group, immigrant status, population group designated as a visible minority, Indigenous population, and other groups, can be found in the additional fact sheets on the Housing Experiences in Canada series page. Additional data products that focus more on an intersectional GBA Plus analysis of housing experiences will also be released through the Housing Experiences in Canada series page as they become available.Household living arrangements
Household living arrangements refer to whether a person lives with another person or people, and, if so, whether they are related to that person or those people. Households can be further differentiated based on whether they are census family households or non-census-family households. Census family households contain at least one census family.Note 7 Non-census-family households are either one person living alone or a group of two or more people who live together but do not constitute a census family (for example, roommates).
According to the 2016 Census, 80.6% of Japanese people lived as part of a one-census-family household. This was similar to the rate for the total population (79.6%). Japanese people in one-census-family households were more likely to live in a couple family with children (49.4%) than to live in one without children (22.1%). For the total population, 45.7% of individuals lived in a one-census-family household with children and 22.5% lived in one without children. Japanese people (9.1%) were less likely to live in a one-parent-family household than the total population (11.3%).
Living in a non-census-family household was more common for Japanese people (16.5%) than it was for the total population (15.4%). Japanese people lived in one-person households (11.5%) at the same rate as the total population (11.5%).
| Japanese population | Total population | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| count | percent | count | percent | |
| Total, household type | 92,920 | 100.0 | 34,460,065 | 100.0 |
| One-census-family householdTable 8 Note 1 | 74,855 | 80.6 | 27,414,900 | 79.6 |
| Couple family without children | 20,550 | 22.1 | 7,761,355 | 22.5 |
| Couple family with children | 45,880 | 49.4 | 15,754,465 | 45.7 |
| One parent family | 8,430 | 9.1 | 3,899,085 | 11.3 |
| Multiple-census-family householdTable 8 Note 1 | 2,725 | 2.9 | 1,746,110 | 5.1 |
| Non-census-family household | 15,335 | 16.5 | 5,299,050 | 15.4 |
| One-person household | 10,650 | 11.5 | 3,967,770 | 11.5 |
| Two- or more person household | 4,685 | 5.0 | 1,331,280 | 3.9 |
Source: 2016 Census of Population |
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About the data
The estimates presented in this fact sheet are from the 2016 Census of Population. For detailed information on any of the indicators in this fact sheet, please refer to the Census of Population main page.
The Census of Population data on housing are collected on the long-form questionnaire, which draws its sample from a frame of private dwellings across Canada. Since the survey sample is drawn from private households, individuals living in the following forms of housing are not included in the data:
- official representatives of foreign countries living in Canada, and their families
- members of religious and other communal colonies
- members of the Canadian Armed Forces living on military bases
- people living in seniors’ residences
- people living full time in institutions (e.g., inmates of penal institutions, and chronic care patients living in hospitals and nursing homes)
- people living in other types of collective dwellings (e.g., shelters, campgrounds and hotels).
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