Section 2: Economic regions and regional portraits
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Regional portrait: Atlantic provinces 1
Moncton-Richibucto registers the largest population increase in the Atlantic provinces
In the Atlantic provinces, the economic region (ER) of Moncton-Richibucto (N.B.) posted the strongest population growth rate (9.0 per thousand) between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2013. The next strongest growth rates belonged to the ERs of Avalon Peninsula (N.L.) and Halifax (N.S), with annual population increases of 5.8 per thousand and 4.4 per thousand respectively. These three ERs were also the most populous in the Atlantic provinces. Moreover, on July 1, 2013, the Halifax (N.S) ER had a population of 408,700, the Avalon Peninsula (N.L.) ER had a population of 273,100 and the Moncton-Richibucto (N.B.) ER, a population of 209,800.
Finally, Avalon Peninsula (N.L.) and Halifax (N.S) were the only ERs in their respective provinces to register a population increase.
The majority of the ERs in the Atlantic provinces saw their populations decline
The largest population decrease in the Atlantic provinces occurred in the ER of Cape Breton (N.S.), which saw its population decline by approximately 2,300 persons (-17.0 per thousand). The other ERs registering large decreases included South Coast-Burin Peninsula (N.L.) and Southern (N.S.), with annual growth rates of -14.0 per thousand and -12.0 per thousand respectively.
For the rest of this analysis, a rate higher than -1 per thousand and lower than 1 per thousand is considered to be neutral or low. Rates are based on the average population during the period examined. Preliminary postcensal estimates are subject to revision. Future updates could affect trend analysis.
In Canada, the five ERs experiencing the most significant population decreases were located in the Atlantic provinces.
In the Atlantic provinces, the rate of population growth for all fifteen ERs was lower in the most recent period (2012/2013) than in the last five-year period (2008/2013).
Population increases resulting from international migration are often not enough to offset losses due to interprovincial migration
In the Atlantic ERs experiencing population growth, international and intraprovincial migration were the main engines of growth. On the other hand, net losses in internal migration exchange are to blame for the population declines experienced by the ERs. Moreover, the aging population in these ERs results in a higher number of deaths than births, and hence a negative natural increase.
The Halifax (N.S.) ER experienced the strongest natural increase in the Atlantic provinces, with a rate of 3.0 per thousand. Even so, this rate was lower than the rate for Canada as a whole (3.7 per thousand). At the other extreme, beginning in the early 2000s, the ER of Notre Dame-Central Bonavista Bay (N.L.) has recorded the lowest natural increase (-4.1 per thousand) in Canada.
In the Atlantic provinces, the ER with the highest growth resulting from international migration was Prince Edward Island (6.8 per thousand). In the majority of the Atlantic ERs (8 in 15), international migration remains a marginal growth factor, with negligible increases of 0 to 1 per thousand.
In 13 of the 15 Atlantic ERs, net interprovincial migration was negative, while two other ERs (Notre Dame-Central Bonavista Bay, N.L. and Moncton-Richibucto, N.B.) experienced similar levels of interprovincial in-migrants and out-migrants. Finally, Cape Breton (N.S.) is the ER that incurred the largest loss with respect to interprovincial migration, with a rate of -9.4 per thousand.
In Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, the gains from intraprovincial migration were concentrated in a single ER: Halifax (N.S.) and Avalon Peninsula (N.L.), with respective increases of 1,400 and 900 persons. In New Brunswick, two ERs posted positive net intraprovincial migrations: Moncton-Richibucto (+900) and Fredericton-Oromocto (+200).
ERs in the Atlantic provinces have an older age structure than in the rest of Canada
On July 1, 2013, there were no Altantic ERs with a proportion of 0-to-14-year-olds above the national average (16.1%). Furthermore, the proportion of persons aged 65 and over was higher in 13 of the 15 ERs in the four Eastern provinces than in Canada as a whole (15.3%).
In the Atlantic provinces, the Southern (N.S.) ER had the largest proportion of persons aged 65 years and over (22.7%). On the other hand, the Halifax (N.S.) ER was home to the smallest proportion of this older age group (13.9%) in these parts of Canada.
For the purposes of this article, various indicators will be used to measure the aging of a population. The distribution of the population aged 0 to 14 years and 65 years and over and the median age will be the indicators considered. The median age is an age “x,” such that exactly one-half of the population is older than “x” and the other half is younger than “x.”
The 0-14 age group accounted for 15.9% of the population of the Fredericton-Oromocto (N.B.) ER, the highest proportion in the Atlantic provinces. Conversely, the lowest proportion of individuals aged 0-14 years was recorded in the Campbellton-Miramichi (N.B.) ER (12.7%). On July 1, 2013, Halifax (N.S.) and Fredericton-Oromocto (N.B.) were the only ERs in this part of Canada where the population of the 0-14 age group exceeded that of the 65 and over age group.
Figure 2.1 compares the ER with the youngest population (Fredericton-Oromocto, N.B.) to the ER with the oldest population (Southern, N.S.) in the Atlantic provinces. The older age structure of the Southern (N.S.) ER is demonstrated by the thickness of the top of its age pyramid, which is wider than that of the Fredericton-Oromocto (N.B.) ER. Also, persons aged 20 to 40 years account for more of the population of Fredericton-Oromocto (N.B.) than of Southern (N.S.). The proportion of young persons aged 0 to 14 years is not predominant in either of the ERs. Nevertheless, Fredericton-Oromocto (N.B.) differs from Southern (N.S) as Fredericton-Oromocto’s (N.B.) younger age group accounts for a larger proportion of its population.
South Coast-Burin Peninsula is the ER where the median age increased the most during the last 10 years in the Atlantic provinces
Between July 1, 2003 and July 1, 2013, the change in median age in each of the 15 ERs exceeded the national average (+2.2 years). This trend reflects the faster and more generalized aging of the ERs in the Atlantic provinces compared with the rest of Canada.
In the Atlantic provinces, population aging was most rapid in the ER of South Coast-Burin Peninsula (N.L.). This ER was also home to the largest age increase in Canada, with the median age raising from 40.9 to 48.5 between 2003 and 2013, a difference of 7.6 years. The ER of Halifax (N.S.) recorded the most modest increase in median age in the Atlantic provinces, with a 2.5 year increase over the past 10 years.
Regional portrait: Quebec
ERs located North of Montreal postedthestrongest population increases in Quebec
Between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2013, the strongest population increases occurred in the ERs of Laval (12.5 per thousand), Laurentides (12.5 per thousand) and Lanaudière (12.2 per thousand). Apart from these three ERs, the population growth rates of the remaining ERs in Quebec did not exceed the national average (11.6 per thousand). On July 1, 2013, the Laval ER had a population of 417,300, the Laurentides ER had a population of 581,000 and the Lanaudière ER, a population of 488,900.
Among Quebec’s five fastest growing ERs in 2012/2013, Nord-du-Québec (10.9 per thousand) was the only ER that was not located in the surroundings of Montreal.
On July 1, 2013, the Montreal ER had a population of 1,960,000, accounting for 24% of Quebec’s total population.
Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine saw its population shrink during the last year
Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine was the only ER in Quebec to have experienced a significant population decline in 2012/2013. During the last year, this ER saw a drop of 700 persons (-7.0 per thousand) and had a population of 93,300 on July 1, 2013. Moreover, the population of two other Quebec ERs remained fairly stable during the same period, namely Côte-Nord (-0.5 per thousand) and Bas-Saint-Laurent (0.2 per thousand).
Drivers of population growth vary from one ER to another in Quebec
In Quebec, international migration was the main engine of population growth in some ERs, while net intraprovincial migration and natural increase were responsible for population increases in the remaining ERs. Interprovincial migration was a minor growth factor in all Quebec ERs.
The ER of Nord-du-Québec stood out sharply from the sixteen other Quebec ERs because of its strong natural increase. Recording a higher number of births than deaths, the ER of Nord-du-Québec posted the strongest natural increase rate (13.3 per thousand) in Quebec. The number of births exceeded that of deaths in most other Quebec ERs, except Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Mauricie. These two ERs registered natural increase rates of -3.0 per thousand and -1.2 per thousand respectively.
The ER of Montreal stood out from other Quebec ERs because of its strong international migration rate (19.1 per thousand), the highest of all ERs in Canada. The Montreal ER had a net international migration of 37,300, which accounted for 69% of the total international migration growth in Quebec. In this province, the second highest increase coming from international migration was registered in the Laval ER (8.2 per thousand, for a net international migration of 3,400).
The majority of the ERs in Quebec recorded negative net interprovincial migration levels. However, the impact of this factor remained marginal, with two-thirds of Quebec ERs registering net interprovincial growth rates between -1 and 0 per thousand. In Quebec, the ER of Montreal posted the lowest net interprovincial migration (-2.6 per thousand), incurring a drop of 5,100 persons.
The ER of Laurentides experienced the strongest net intraprovincial migration level in Quebec, recording an increase of 4,800 persons (8.3 per thousand). Conversely, the ER of Montreal recorded the largest population decline resulting from net intraprovincial migration in Quebec, losing 17,300 persons, which accounted for a rate of -8.9 per thousand.
Quebec ERs were among the oldest in Canada… but there are some exceptions
In Quebec, the age structure of most ERs were older compared to the country as a whole. Nord-du-Québec, Outaouais and Lanaudière were the only ERs in Quebec to have younger populations than Canada. More precisely, they all had a lower proportion of persons aged 65 years and over and a higher proportion of persons aged 0-14 years than the national average.
Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine stood out from the other Quebec ERs, having the highest proportion of persons aged 65 years and over (22.1%) in the province on of July 1, 2013. Moreover, this ER had the smallest proportion of persons aged 0-14 years (12.1%). Conversely, the ER of Nord-du-Québec was home to the largest proportion of persons aged 0-14 years (27.3%) and had the lowest proportion of persons aged 65 years and over (6.7%) in Quebec.
Figure 2.2 compares the ER with the oldest population (Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine) to the ER with the youngest population (Nord-du-Québec), in Quebec. The very wide base of the pyramid for the Nord-du-Québec ER shows the large number of young people within its population. In this ER, persons aged 0 to 4 years accounted for the largest five-year age group, similar to persons aged 55 to 59 years accounting for the largest group in the ER of Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
Fast population aging in Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine drive median age up to 50 years
Besides having the highest proportion of persons aged 65 years and over in Quebec, Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine is also the ER where population aging was the most rapid. Between July 1, 2003 and July 1, 2013, median age raised from 43.5 years to 50.1 years, a difference of 6.6 years. In Canada, this is the first time that the median age of an ER exceeds the symbolic threshold of 50 years.
Population aging was faster in 13 out of 17 Quebec ERs than in the rest of Canada. The only ERs with smaller increases in median age than that of Canada were Capitale-Nationale, Laval, Nord-du-Québec and Montréal. The ER of Montreal posted the lowest increase in median age in Quebec (+0.5 year between 2003 and 2013).
Regional portrait: Ontario
Ontario ERs with the highest increases include large urban centers
Among Ontario’s economic regions, the ER of Toronto registered the highest population increase (14.2 per thousand) between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2013. Toronto’s growth rate was followed by those of the Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie (10.9 per thousand) ER and the Ottawa (8.0 per thousand) ER.
With an increase of 88,400 persons during the last year, the ER of Toronto was home to 6,261,200 inhabitants on July 1, 2013, the equivalent of 46% of Ontario’s population. Further, the ERs of Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie and Ottawa included 1,285,500 inhabitants and 1,308,300 inhabitants respectively. These two ERs are the third and fourth most populated in Ontario, following Toronto and Hamilton-Niagara Peninsula (1,432,600 inhabitants).
The population of the two Northern ERs in Ontario decreased over the last period
The biggest population decrease for an ER in Ontario happened in the Northeast, and registered a loss of about 2,200 inhabitants (-3.8 per thousand) between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2013. Northwestern and Stratford-Bruce Peninsula are two other ERs in Ontario that have witnessed a significant decrease in population, with annual growth rates reaching -2.6 per thousand and -2.1 per thousand respectively.
Over the last five years, the population growth rate has slowed down in most of Ontario’s ERs (7 out of 11). For example, between 2012 and 2013, the Ottawa ER reached a population growth rate of 8.0 per thousand, which is much lower than the average annual growth rate observed over the last five years (11.1 per thousand). However in other Ontario ERs, like that of Muskoka-Kawarthas, growth rates increased over the last five years. In fact, its population increased at a rate of 4.6 per thousand between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2013, while its annual growth rate over the last five years was 3.0 per thousand.
Population mobility is an influencing factor of growth in most of Ontario’s ERs
In Ontario, among the ERs having registered a population growth between 2012 and 2013, international and intraprovincial migration were the main drivers of growth. ERs having experienced population losses over the last year can largely attribute these losses to interprovincial migration.
Also, in this province, the ER of Toronto recorded the highest level of population growth resulting from natural growth. With 69,300 births versus 33,200 deaths, the natural growth rate in the ER of Toronto reached 5.8 per thousand. On the other hand, the ER of Muskoka-Kawarthas registered the lowest natural growth rate in Ontario (-2.2 per thousand).
The ER of Toronto has also distinguished itself with regards to international migration. Moreover, Toronto’s main growth influence, international migration, reached the highest level (13.0 per thousand) in Ontario. Toronto’s net international migration reached 80,500 and represented 82 % of the province’s growth due to international migration. Conversely, international migration only contributed slightly to the growth of 5 out of the 11 ERs in Ontario, with rates varying between -0.3 and 0.7 per thousand.
Between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2013, none of the 11 ERs in Ontario reached positive net interprovincial migration values. Moreover, in this province, the highest population decrease due to interprovincial migration was found in the Northwestern ER (-4.1 per thousand) and resulted in a loss of about 1,000 persons. Between 2012 and 2013, Ottawa was the only ER to have a relatively balanced net interprovincial migration.
Intraprovincial migration contributed significantly to the growth of the ERs of Muskoka-Kawarthas and Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie. These two ERs showed the strongest intraprovincial migration rates in Ontario, with rates of8.8 per thousand and 6.6 per thousand respectively. At the other end of the spectrum, with a rate of -3.3 per thousand, the ER of Toronto showed the highest intraprovincial migration loss for Ontario, a net drop of 20,700 persons.
An uneven age distribution by ERs in Ontario
Generally, the age structure in Ontario is very similar to the national average, but not all ERs present the same profile. As of July 1, 2013, the ERs of Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie were the only ones where the proportion of persons aged 0 to 14 years old was higher than the Canadian average, and the proportion of persons aged 65 years and over, was lower than the Canadian average.
On July 1, 2013, the ER of Toronto included the smallest portion of persons aged 65 years and over in Ontario (13.3%). On the contrary, the ER of Muskoka-Kawarthas was inhabited by the highest proportion of persons aged 65 and over (22.8%) in Ontario and in Canada. This ER also had the lowest relative proportion of persons aged 0 to 14 years old (13.1%) in Ontario. Finally, the highest proportion of persons aged less than 15 years old was found in the Northwestern ER (17.1%).
Figure 2.3 compares the ER with the youngest population (Northwestern) to the ER with the oldest population (Muskoka-Kawarthas), in Ontario. Although the differences in the age pyramids of these two ERs are minimal, it is noticeable that persons aged 65 years and over account for a much larger part of the population in the ER of Muskoka-Kawarthas than in the ER of Northwestern. In fact, the top of the Muskoka-Kawarthas’ pyramid is wider, whereas the base is somewhat narrow. While a good proportion of the population of the Northwestern ER is aged 50 years and over, the younger age groups form a more substantial portion of the pyramid.
The population is aging faster in Ontario’s ERs than in the country as a whole
The highest increase in median age over the last decade (2003-2013) occurred in the ER of Muskoka-Kawarthas (+6.1 years). While the median age for this population was 42.3 years on July 1, 2003, it reached 48.4 years on July 1, 2013, the highest value in Ontario. The aging rate of the population grew twice as fast as the national average (+2.2 years) in three Ontario ERs: Stratford-Bruce Peninsula (+4.8 years), Windsor-Sarnia (+4.7 years) and Northeastern (+4.4 years).
The Toronto, London and Ottawa ERs experienced the slowest aging growth rate in Ontario, with their median ages increasing by 2.3 years, 2.7 years and 2.8 years respectively. These increases, although modest for the province, are slightly higher than the increases observed for all of Canada.
Regional portrait: Prairies 2
Alberta ERs post the strongest population increases in Canada
In the Prairies, between 2012 and 2013, the strongest population increase occurred in the ER of Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake (Alta.) (45.5 per thousand). This was also the largest annual population growth rate recorded out of any of the 76 Canadian ERs since the early 2000s. Between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2013, the second and third largest population increases—not only in the Prairies but also in Canada as a whole—occurred in the ERs of Calgary (Alta.) (41.4 per thousand) and Edmonton (Alta.) (35.8 per thousand).
The ERs in the Prairies stood out sharply from those in the rest of Canada because of the vitality of their population growth. Eight of Canada’s 10 fastest growing ERs in the past year were located in the Prairies. Of these, six were in Alberta and the other two in Saskatchewan.
Only two Prairie ERs saw their population shrink
Although most of the fastest growing Canadian ERs are located in the Prairies, two of these ERs experienced population loss during the 2012/2013 period. The Parklands (Man.) ER recorded a decrease of 400 persons (-9.4 per thousand) while the Yorkton-Melville (Sask.) ER saw a drop of 300 persons (-3.6 per thousand).
The pace of recent population growth (in the period 2012/2013) for all eight Alberta ERs was more rapid than the previous five-year period’s annual average. Also, all Alberta ERs registered their strongest increase this period in comparison to the past five years. Conversely, for the Saskatchewan and Manitoba ERs not including a CMA, the recent figures indicate that growth has slowed compared with the previous five-year period’s annual average.
International and interprovincial migration crucial to the growth of the Prairie ERs
In the Prairies, the ERs showing the strongest growth can attribute a large portion of their population increase to international and interprovincial migration. The ERs with negative or low growth can be distinguished by their negative net intraprovincial migration.
In 15 of the 22 ERs in the Prairies, the rate of natural increase was above the national average (3.7 per thousand). With 900 births and 200 deaths, the Northern ER (Sask.) had the highest rate of natural increase (18.5 per thousand) in the Prairies. By contrast, Yorkton-Melville (Sask.) is the only Prairie ER where the rate of natural increase (-2.0 per thousand) generated a decrease in population.
With regard to international migration, the ER of Saskatoon-Biggar (Sask.) reached the highest growth rate (18.1 per thousand) in the Prairies. Elsewhere in the Prairies, the rate of net international migration exceeded 10 per thousand in five other ERs, where net international migration was considered the main lever of population growth. Net international migration rates reached 17.1 per thousand in Calgary (Alta.), 16.8 per thousand in Winnipeg (Man.), 16.3 per thousand in Regina-Moose Mountain (Sask.), 14.4 per thousand in Edmonton (Alta.) and 12.0 per thousand in Lethbridge-Medicine Hat (Alta.).
Interprovincial migration played a leading role in the growth of a number of Prairie ERs, especially in Alberta. Between 2012 and 2013, the Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake (Alta.) ER had the highest rate of net interprovincial migration (35.7 per thousand) in the Prairies and in Canada. Historically, this ER has always recorded the highest rate of net interprovincial migration, with the last period’s (2012/2013) rate reaching its highest level since the early 2000s. The impact of interprovincial migration is quite different in Manitoba, where all eight ERs recorded negative net interprovincial migration levels.
Although the population of the Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake (Alta.) ER grew at a record pace, its rate of net intraprovincial migration (-13.7 per thousand) was the lowest in the Prairies and in Canada. The Southeast (Man.) and Interlake (Man.) ERs, with rates reaching 9.0 per thousand and 7.8 per thousand respectively, registered the highest levels of intraprovincial migration in the Prairies.
Young people account for a significant share of the population in all Prairie ERs
On July 1, 2013, the Prairie ERs had a younger age structure than the rest of Canada. First, the proportion of young persons aged 0 to 14 years was above the national average in all 22 Prairie ERs. Next, the proportion of persons aged 65 years and over was below the Canadian average in the majority of the ERs. Finally, only four ERs in this part of Canada had more persons aged 65 years and over than persons aged 0-14 years.
In the Prairies, the Northern (Sask.) ER stood out because of its large proportion of 0-to-14-year-olds (31.3%), the highest proportion of young person’s residing in an ER in any of Canada’s 10 provinces. This ER also had the lowest proportion of persons aged 65 years and over (5.7%). Although still higher than the Canadian average, the smallest proportion of young people aged 0-14 years was in the Winnipeg (Man.) ER at 16.4%.
The age structures of the Alberta ERs of Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake and Calgary were notable for their smaller proportions of the 65 years and over age group, and also for their sizable demographic fractions of the working-age population (15 to 64 years of age). With 73.5% of the population aged between 15 and 64 in Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake and 72.0% in Calgary, these proportions were the highest in the Prairies and among the highest in Canada.
Figure 2.4 compares the ER with the youngest population (Northern, Sask.) to the ER with the oldest population (Parklands, Man.), in the Prairies. The very wide base of the pyramid for the Northern (Sask.) ER shows the large number of young people within its population. Conversely, the pyramid for the Parklands (Man.) ER shows the predominance of older age groups, especially those 50 years of age and above. This ER also stands out for the relatively low proportion of individuals aged 20 to 40 years, a situation attributable to negative intraprovincial and interprovincial migration.
The ER populations are aging at a more moderate pace in the Prairies than in the rest of Canada
Between July 1, 2003 and July 1, 2013, the increase in median age was lower in more than 80% of the Prairie ERs (18 in 22) than in Canada (+2.2 years). Moreover, three Prairie ERs recorded a slight decline in median age during this 10-year period, with the Southwestern (Man.) ER posting the largest decrease (-0.7 years).
Between 2003 and 2013, the Interlake (Man.) ER registered the largest increase in median age (+3.8 years) in the Prairies. With regards to population aging, the Manitoba ERs are not homogeneous. Among the Prairies, Manitoba had the two ERs with the largest 10-year increases in median age (Interlake, +3.8 years; Parklands, +3.2 years) as well as the two ERs with the largest decreases in median age (Southwestern, -0.7 years; South Central, -0.6 years).
Regional Portrait: British Columbia
The Northeast ER registers the highest population growth in British Columbia
In British Columbia, the Northeast ER posted the highest population growth rate (19.2 per thousand) between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2013. The next strongest growth rates belonged to the ERs of Lower Mainland-Southwest and Vancouver Island and Coast, with annual population increases of 13.1 per thousand and 3.8 per thousand respectively.
Recording an increase of 36,500 persons over the last year, the Lower Mainland-Southwest ER had slightly more than 2.8 million inhabitants on of July 1, 2013, accounting for 61% of British Columbia’s total population.
The highest population decrease occurred in the ER of Kootenay
During the 2012/2013 period, three of the eight British Columbia ERs recorded significant population decreases: Kootenay (-8.4 per thousand), the North Coast (-8.1 per thousand) and Nechako (-2.2 per thousand).
Compared to the 2008/2013 period, most recent population growth rates in ERs of British Columbia slowed down. During the 2012/2013 period, five of the eight ERs in British Columbia posted lower growth rates compared to the previous five-year period’s annual average.
Drivers of population growth vary from one ER to another in British Columbia
In British Columbia, the growth factors are fairly diversified depending on the ER. For example, a high rate of natural increase was largely responsible for the population growth in the Northeast ER. On the other hand, in the ER of Lower Mainland-Southwest, international migration was the main engine of population growth. Finally, the ER of Vancouver Island and Coast can attribute a large portion of its population increase to intraprovincial migration.
Natural increase was a marginal growth factor in three British Columbia ERs: Vancouver Island and Coast, Thompson-Okanagan and Kootenay. The Northeast ER registered the strongest rate of natural increase in this province, reaching 9.3 per thousand.
The international migration rate was at its highest in the ER of Lower Mainland-Southwest (12.0 per thousand). For the remaining seven ERs, the international migration growth rate registered under the Canadian mean (7.8 per thousand).
Between 2012 and 2013, seven of the eight ERs in British Columbia recorded negative net interprovincial migration levels. Vancouver Island and Coast was the only ER where this trend was different, experiencing similar levels of interprovincial in-migrants and out-migrants.
Two ERs located in the Northwest part of British Columbia posted the lowest net intraprovincial migration levels, namely Nechako and North Coast ERs with rates of -9.6 per thousand and -7.9 per thousand respectively. Conversely, the Northeast ER reached the highest level of net intraprovincial migration (4.7 per thousand) in British Columbia, with an increase of 300 persons.
ERs in the Northern part of British Columbia are younger than those in the Southern part
The ERs in the Northern part of the province stood out sharply from those in the South because of the age distribution of the population. On July 1, 2013, the four ERs in Northern British Columbia (Cariboo, North Coast, Nechako and Northeast) were the only ones where the proportion of persons aged 0-14 years was higher than in Canada and where the proportion of persons aged 65 years and over was lower than in Canada. The four ERs located in Southern British Columbia were generally older, with more persons aged 65 years and over than persons aged 0 to 14 years in three of the ERs.
In British Columbia, the Thompson-Okanagan ER hosted the largest proportion of persons aged 65 years and over (21.3%). By contrast, the proportion of the 65 years and over age group accounted for only 9.1% of the population in the Northeast ER, home to a large proportion of persons aged 0 to 14 years (20.5%). In British Columbia, the lowest proportion of individuals aged 0-14 years was recorded in the Vancouver Island and Coast ER (13.3%).
Figure 2.5 compares the ER with the oldest population (Thompson-Okanagan) to the ER with the youngest population (Northeast), in British Columbia. In the Northeast ER, persons aged 25 to 29 years accounted for the largest five-year age group, compared to persons aged 50 to 54 years accounting for the largest group in the ER of Thompson-Okanagan. The older age structure of the Thompson-Okanagan ER is demonstrated by the thickness of the top of its age pyramid, which is wider than that of the Northeast ER. This older age structure is largely due to a negative net internal migration for persons aged 18 to 34 years and a positive net internal migration for persons aged 45 to 64 years.
Kootenay and Nechako are the two British Columbia ERs with the highest median age increase during the last 10 years
Between July 1, 2003 and July 1, 2013, the median age for six of the eight ERs increased by at least 4 years. Population aging was most rapid in Kootenay and Nechako, with both ERs registering the largest increases in median age (+4.7 years) in British Columbia.
The median age rose from 37.6 years to 39.8 years in Lower Mainland-Southwest, a difference of 2.1 years over 10 years. In comparison, the Canadian median age posted a 2.2 year increase over the past 10 years. Finally, the Northeast ER recorded the most modest increase in median age (+1.0 year) in British Columbia and was the only ER in the province where population aging was slower compared to Canada.
Regional portrait: Territories
Because all three territories are made up of a single economic region, the regional portrait of territories will consider census divisions in this analysis. The remaining tables for census divisions are presented in section 3 of this publication.
Steady population growth for the three CDs in Nunavut
Within the three Canadian territories, the highest population growths were observed in the three Census Divisions (CDs) of Nunavut for the 2012/2013 period. The Keetawin CD (Nvt.) registered the strongest population growth (30.4 per thousand) of all 10 Canadian territories’ CDs. The next strongest population growth rates belonged to Baffin (Nvt.) (23.6 per thousand) and Kitikmeot (Nvt.) (22.1 per thousand).
Some CDs from the Northwest Territories have experienced population losses
Within the territories, three CDs registered significant decreases in their population; all of them were part of the Northwest Territories. The largest population decrease occurred in the CD of Region 1 (N.W.T.), experiencing a population growth rate of -12.7 per thousand. Region 3 (N.W.T.) and Region 5 (N.W.T.) were the two other CDs in the Canadian territories to register significant population losses, with population growths rates of -8.7 per thousand and -4.4 per thousand respectively.
A larger number of births than deaths mainly explains why the population grows in territories’ CDs
Between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2013, natural increase has been the main driver of growth in each of the 10 territories’ CDs. If the few CDs in the territories that experienced population decreases during this period, the decrease was mainly due to negative net interprovincial migration.
The number of births largely surpasses the number of deaths in all Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon CDs. In fact, the natural increase rate for each of the CDs in the territories is higher than the Canadian average (3.7 per thousand). The Keetawin CD (Nvt.) registered the highest natural increase in Canada (24.9 per thousand). The lowest rate of natural increase within the territories occurred in Yukon (6.6 per thousand), a rate almost twice as high as the national average.
All CDs in Nunavut and the Yukon CD posted positive net interprovincial migration levels. Conversely, five of the six CDs from the Northwest Territories experienced population losses attributable to interprovincial migration. Region 5 (N.W.T.) recorded the lowest net interprovincial migration rate (-25.4 per thousand) in the territories.
A substantially younger age structure in territories’ CDs
On July 1, 2013, the proportion of persons aged 65 years and over did not surpass 10% in any of the 10 territories’ CDs, all of them having markedly lower proportions of this older age group compared to the national average of 15.3%. Moreover, the number of young persons aged less than 15 years accounted for more than twice the number of persons aged 65 years and over in 10 territories’ CDs, except for the Yukon (where there was still more young persons than seniors).
More than one third of Keetawin’s (Nvt.) population was under 15 years of age as of July 1, 2013, the largest proportion (33.8%) of all Canada CDs. Moreover, this CD also had the lowest proportion of persons aged 65 years and over (3.3%) in Canada. In other words, in Keetawin CD (Nvt.), the number of persons aged 0 to 14 years was ten times larger than the number of persons aged 65 years and over. The 0-14 age group accounted for more than 30% of the population in two other territories’, namely the CDs of Kitikmeot (Nvt.) and Region 3 (N.W.T.) with proportions of 31.2% and 30.4% respectively.
Figure 2.6 compares the CD with the youngest population (Keetawin, Nvt.) to the CD with the oldest population (Yukon, Y.T.) in the territories. The proportion of children in Keetawin CD (Nvt.) is considerably larger than in the CD of Yukon (Y.T.), as demonstrated by the thickness of the base of Keetawin’s (Nvt.) population pyramid. Among other things, this can be explained by Keewatin’s higher levels of fertility and mortality. In the Yukon (Y.T.) CD, the top of the pyramid, larger than that of Keewatin’s pyramid, demonstrates a markedly older age structure. Moreover, the Yukon (Y.T.) CD population stands out because of the large proportion of the working-age population (15 to 64 years of age).
The population living in territories’ CDs is aging at a similar rate than in Canada
Although the median age of the population in territories’ CD is considerably lower than in the rest of Canada, population aging is taking place at a similar pace to that of the whole country.
The Northwest Territories was home to the two fastest aging CDs among the three territories. With a median age rising from 31.1 years on July 1, 2003 to 34.9 years on July 1, 2013, the CD of Region 5 (N.W.T.) recorded the largest increase (+3.8 years) in the territories.
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