Technical Guide on Demographic Estimates at Statistics Canada
Glossary

Age

Age refers to the age of a person as of July 1.

Aging (of a population)

Aging refers to an increase in the number of older persons as a percentage of the total population.

Average age

Average age represents the average age of members of a given population.

Census agglomeration (CA)

Census agglomeration (CA) refers to a region formed by one or more adjacent municipalities centred on a population centre (known as the core). A CA must have a core population of at least 10,000 based on data from the previous Census of Population Program. To be included in the CA, other adjacent municipalities must have a high degree of integration with the core, as measured by commuting flows derived from data on place of work from the previous Census Program.

If the population of the core of a CA falls below 10,000, the CA is retired from the next census. All areas inside the CA that are not population centres are rural areas.

When a CA has a core of at least 50,000, based on data from the previous Census of Population, it is subdivided into census tracts. Census tracts are maintained for the CA even if the population of the core subsequently falls below 50,000.

Census coverage

Coverage errors occur when people or dwellings are omitted, counted more than once, or incorrectly counted (i.e., they should not have been counted in the census). Coverage studies are conducted to measure the misclassification of dwellings and the undercoverage or overcoverage of people.

Census division (CD)

Census division (CD) refers to the general term for provincially legislated areas (such as county, municipalité régionale de comté and regional district) or their equivalents. Census divisions are intermediate geographic areas between the province level and the municipality (census subdivision).

In Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, provincial or territorial law does not provide for these administrative geographic areas. Therefore, Statistics Canada, in cooperation with these provinces and territories, has created equivalent areas called census divisions for the purpose of disseminating statistical data. In Yukon, the census division is equivalent to the entire territory.

Census family

Census family refers to a married couple and the children, if any, of either and/or both spouses; a couple living common law and the children, if any, of either and/or both partners; or a parent of any marital status in a one‑parent family with at least one child living in the same dwelling and that child or those children. All members of a particular census family live in the same dwelling. Children may be biological or adopted children regardless of their age or marital status as long as they live in the dwelling and do not have their own married spouse, common‑law partner or child living in the dwelling. Grandchildren living with their grandparent(s) but with no parents present also constitute a census family.

Census metropolitan area (CMA)

Census metropolitan area (CMA) refers to a region formed by one or more adjacent municipalities centred on a population centre (known as the core). A CMA must have a total population of at least 100,000 of which 50,000 or more must live in the core. To be included in the CMA, other adjacent municipalities must have a high degree of integration with the core, as measured by commuting flows derived from census place of work data.

Once an area becomes a CMA, it is retained as a CMA even if its total population declines below 100,000 or the population of its core falls below 50,000. Small population centres with a population count of less than 10,000 are called fringe. All areas inside the CMA that are not population centres are rural areas.

All CMAs are subdivided into census tracts.

The CMA of Ottawa-Gatineau (Ontario-Quebec) crosses provincial boundaries. When the geographic level selected is all of Canada, the totals include the CMA on both sides of the provincial border. If a province has been selected, only the part of the CMA in the province chosen is included in the totals.

Census net undercoverage (CNU)

Represents the number of persons excluded from the census who should have been enumerated (undercoverage) less the number of extra enumerations of persons who were enumerated more than once (overcoverage).

Census net undercoverage rate

Census net undercoverage rate refers to the difference between the census undercoverage rate and the census overcoverage rate.

Census overcoverage

Refers to either including persons who should not have been enumerated or enumerating persons more than once.

Census overcoverage rate

Census overcoverage rate refers to the ratio of the number of persons who should not have been counted in the census or who were counted more than once to the total number of persons that should have been enumerated in the census. Generally, the rate is expressed in percentage.

Census subdivision (CSD)

Census subdivision (CSD) refers to municipalities (as determined by provincial or territorial legislation) or areas treated as municipal equivalents for statistical purposes (for example, Indian reserves, Indian settlements and unorganized territories).

Census undercoverage

Refers to excluding persons who should have been enumerated.

Census undercoverage rate

Census undercoverage rate refers to the ratio of the estimated number of persons not enumerated in the census (who were intended to have been enumerated) to the total number of persons that should have been enumerated in the census. Generally, the rate is expressed in percentage.

Census undercoverage study (CUS)

Census undercoverage study, formerly called the Reverse Record Check (RRC) until the 2021 Census, refers to one of three studies which provide estimates of census coverage error, including independent estimates of census undercoverage and overcoverage. The CUS begins by working with a sample of all persons who were enumerated (or missed) in the previous census, along with all persons who were either born or entered Canada over the intercensal period. Except for a very small sub-population of returning emigrants, the CUS sampling frame includes all persons who could potentially be part of the census target universe.

Cohort

Cohort refers to a group of persons who have experienced a specific demographic event during a given year. In the case of births, persons born within a specified year are referred to as a generation.

Cohort component method

Cohort component method refers to the method used to produce estimates by age and gender, whereby the population is aged from year to year, and the components of demographic change are organized according to age and gender cohorts.

Component method

Component method refers to the method of generating population estimates which uses the components of demographic change and a base population as the input.

Components of demographic growth

Components of demographic growth refers to all demographic events (births, deaths and migrations) that influence the size or the age and gender composition of the population.

Death

Death refers to the permanent disappearance of all evidence of life at any time after a live birth has taken place. Stillbirths are excluded from death estimates in the Demographic Estimates Program.

Demographic dependency ratio

Demographic dependency ratio represents the ratio of the combined population aged from 0 to 14 years old and the population aged 65 years and older to the population aged from 15 to 64 years old. The ratio is purely demographic in nature and does not consider disability, employment or socio-economic status. A higher ratio might suggest that the economic activity, revenues, and taxes from the core working-age population helps support services for a larger group of people.

Demographic estimate program

Demographic estimate program refers to Statistics Canada's statistical program that provides estimates of population and components of population growth for Canada, the provinces and territories, and several sub-provincial and sub-territorial areas.

Population estimates are essential for determining the amounts of transfer payments made by the federal government to the provinces and territories, under the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements and Federal Post-Secondary Education and Health Contributions Act, and the Canada Student Loans Act. These data are also used to calculate demographic, social and economic indicators, and to determine annual immigration levels by the Government of Canada.

Demographic growth rate or population growth rate

Demographic growth rate or population growth rate refers to the ratio of population growth between the year t and t+1, to the average population of both these years.

Economic region (ER)

Economic region (ER) refers to a grouping of complete census divisions (with one exception in Ontario) created as a standard geographic unit for analysis of regional economic activity.

Within the province of Quebec, economic regions (“régions administratives”) are designated by law. In all other provinces or territories, economic regions are created by agreement between Statistics Canada and the provinces or territories concerned. Prince Edward Island and the three territories each consist of one economic region. In Ontario, there is one exception where the economic region boundary does not respect census division boundaries: the census division of Halton is split between the ER of Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula and the ER of Toronto.

Emigrant

Emigrant refers to Canadian citizen or immigrant who has left Canada to establish a residence in another country, involving a change in usual place of residence. Emigrant may be either long-term or short-term.

Error of closure

Error of closure represents the difference between the postcensal estimate at the census date and the results of the census adjusted for census net undercoverage (including adjustment for incompletely enumerated reserves and settlements).

Gender

Gender refers to an individual's personal and social identity as a man, woman or non-binary person (a person who is not exclusively a man or a woman).

Gender includes the following concepts:

• Gender identity, which refers to the gender that a person feels internally and individually;
• Gender expression, which refers to the way a person presents their gender, regardless of their gender identity, through body language, aesthetic choices or accessories (e.g., clothes, hairstyle and makeup), which may have traditionally been associated with a specific gender.

A person's gender may differ from their sex at birth, and from what is indicated on their current identification or legal documents such as their birth certificate, passport or driver's licence. A person's gender may change over time.

Some people may not identify with a specific gender.

Gender ratio

Gender ratio represents the ratio of the number of men+ to the number of women+. This ratio is usually expressed as an index, with the number of women+ taken to be a base of 100.

Generation

Generation refers to a group of persons born within a given period. For example, the 2006 generation represents people born during the year 2006.

Household

Household refers to a person or group of persons who occupy the same dwelling and do not have a usual place of residence elsewhere in Canada or abroad. The dwelling may be either a collective dwelling or a private dwelling. The household may consist of a family group such as a census family, of two or more families sharing a dwelling, of a group of unrelated persons or of a person living alone. Household members who are temporarily absent on reference day are considered part of their usual household.

Immigrant

Immigrant refers to a person who is a permanent resident (landed immigrant). Such a person has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Persons who are born abroad to a Canadian parent are not immigrants but are included in the returning emigrant component.

Incompletely enumerated reserves and settlements

Incompletely enumerated reserves and settlements refers to census subdivisions for which enumeration either was not permitted or could not be completed for various reasons, such as evacuations because of forest fires or access restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Internal migration

Internal migration represents all movements of persons within Canada's geographical boundaries, involving a change in usual place of residence. Internal migration denotes movement from one province or territory to another (i.e., interprovincial migration) and movements from some other smaller defined geographical unit to another (i.e., intraprovincial migration).

International migration

International migration represents movement of population between Canada and a foreign country which involves a change in the usual place of residence. A distinction is made with regard to immigrants, emigrants, returning emigrants and net non-permanent residents.

Interprovincial migration

Interprovincial migration represents all movements from one province or territory to another involving a change in the usual place of residence. A person who takes up residence in another province or territory is an out-migrant with reference to the province or territory of origin and an in-migrant with reference to the province or territory of destination.

Intraprovincial migration

Intraprovincial migration represents all movement from one region to another within the same province or territory involving a change of the usual place residence. A person who takes up residence in another region is an out-migrant with reference to the region of origin and an in-migrant with reference to the region of destination.

Live Birth

Live birth refers to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.

Long-term emigrant

Long-term emigrant refers to a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant who has left Canada to take up long-term residence in another country.

Long-term returning emigrant

Long-term returning emigrant refers to a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant who has already emigrated from Canada on a long-term basis and subsequently returned to live in Canada.

Median age

Median age represents an age "x", such that exactly one half of the population is older than "x" and the other half is younger than "x".

Men+

Men+ refers to the gender category which includes men (and/or boys), as well as some non-binary persons.

Natural increase

Natural increase refers to the variation in population size between two dates resulting from the difference between the numbers of births and deaths.

Net emigration

Net emigration represents the result of the following formula: Emigrants - Returning emigrants. For estimates from 1991 to June 2016, net emigration represents the result of the following formula: Emigrants + Net temporary emigration - Returning emigrants.

Net internal migration

Net internal migration represents the sum of net intraprovincial and net interprovincial migration.

Net international migration

Net international migration represents the result of the following formula: Immigrants + Net non-permanent residents – Net emigration.

Net interprovincial migration

Net interprovincial migration represents the difference between in-migrants and out-migrants for a given province, territory or subprovincial region.

Net intraprovincial migration

Net intraprovincial migration represents the difference between in-migrants and out-migrants for a given region.

Net non-permanent residents

Net non-permanent residents represents the variation in the number of non-permanent residents between two dates. It is calculated by taking the difference between the inflows and outflows of non-permanent residents between two dates for a given region.

Net temporary emigration

Net temporary emigration represents the variation in the number of temporary emigrants between two dates for demographic estimates from 1991 to June 2016. Temporary emigration includes Canadian citizens and immigrants living temporarily abroad who have not maintained a usual place of residence in Canada. From July 2016, net temporary emigration is distributed among emigrants and returning emigrants.

Non-permanent resident

Non-permanent resident refers to a person from another country with a usual place of residence in Canada and who (1) has claimed refugee status (asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups) or (2) holds a work permit, a study permit, or a temporary resident permit.

Family members living with permit holders are also included unless these family members are already Canadian citizens, landed immigrants (permanent residents), or non-permanent residents themselves.

Non-permanent residents, inflows

Non-permanent residents, inflow refers to the number of people claiming asylum or entering as work, study and temporary resident permit holders in Canada. This number also includes the family members living with permit holders who are not Canadian citizens, landed immigrants (permanent residents) or non-permanent residents themselves.

Non-permanent residents, outflows

Non-permanent residents, outflow refers to the number of work, study and temporary resident permit holders leaving Canada, along with their family members who are not Canadian citizens, landed immigrants (permanent residents) or non-permanent residents themselves.

This also includes permit holders and asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups staying in Canada who have been granted permanent resident status. In this case, these persons will be added to the immigrant component.

Asylum claimants and related groups who have been deported are also counted as outflows.

Non-permanent resident type

Non-permanent resident type refers to the temporary residence status for which a non-permanent resident has been authorized to enter Canada. This category is defined according to the type(s) of permit(s) and/or refugee claim valid on given date. The non-permanent resident types are mutually exclusive and are derived in the following order of classification:

1. Asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups;
2. Permit holders and their family members.

Consequently, there are no asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups among the permit holders and their family members.

1. Asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups

Asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups are defined as:

• Asylum claimant refers to a foreign national who has made a refugee claim while in Canada on a temporary basis and whose claim is pending decision.
• Protected person refers to a person who has made a claim in Canada and received a positive decision. For Statistics Canada’s Demographic Estimates Program, protected persons leave this population if they obtain permanent residence.
• Related groups include those who received a negative decision or withdrew or abandoned their claim and have not yet regularized their status or departed Canada.

This type includes the following subtypes:

• Asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups with work permit only
  • Asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups who only have a work permit. A work permit is a document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that authorizes a person to work on a temporary basis in Canada.
• Asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups with study permit only
  • Asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups who only have a study permit. A study permit is a document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that authorizes a person to study at a designated learning institution in Canada.
• Asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups with work and study permits
  • Asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups who have both a work and study permit at the same time.
• Asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups without work or study permits
  • Asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups with a valid claim but neither a work nor study permit.

2. Permit holders and their family members 

Permit holders and their family members are non-permanent residents who are not asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups, but who hold a permit (for work, study or temporary residence). This classification also includes their family members who are not Canadian citizens, landed immigrants (permanent residents) or non-permanent residents themselves. This type includes the following subgroups:

• Work permit holders only
  • Non-permanent residents who only have a work permit. A work permit is a document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that authorizes a person to work on a temporary basis in Canada. This subtype does not include family members.
• Study permit holders only
  • Non-permanent residents who only have a study permit. A study permit is a document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that authorizes a person to study at a designated learning institution in Canada. This subtype does not include family members.
• Work and study permit holders
  • Non-permanent residents who have both a work and study permit at the same time. This subtype does not include family members.
• Other
  • "Other" mainly refers to family members living with permit holders, unless these family members are already Canadian citizens, landed immigrants, or non-permanent residents themselves. This type of non-permanent resident also refers to holders of other permits (e.g. temporary resident permits, formerly known as "Minister’s Permits").

Population

Population represents the estimated population and includes the same persons as those in the census population universe.

Population estimate

Censal: Refers to the enumerated population adjusted for the net census undercount and partially enumerated reserves and settlements. The censal estimate by age and gender can also include a demographic adjustment.

Postcensal: Refers to the population estimate produced by using data from the most recent available census adjusted for census net undercoverage (including adjustment for incompletely enumerated reserves and settlements) and estimate of the components of demographic growth since that last census. This estimate can be preliminary, updated or final.

Intercensal: Refers to the population estimate derived by using postcensal estimates and data adjusted for census net undercoverage (including adjustment for incompletely enumerated reserves and settlements) of censuses preceding and following the year in question.

Population growth or total growth

Population growth, or total growth, represents a variation of population size between two dates. It can also be obtained by summing the natural increase, total net migration and if applicable, adding residual deviation. It can be positive or negative.

Population universe

Population universe refers to the Census target population, also used by the Demographic Estimates Program at Statistics Canada, includes the following groups:

• Canadian citizens and landed immigrants (permanent residents) with a usual place of residence in Canada
• Canadian citizens and landed immigrants (permanent residents) who are abroad, either on a military base or attached to a diplomatic mission
• Canadian citizens and landed immigrants (permanent residents) at sea or in port aboard merchant vessels under Canadian registry or Canadian government vessels
• Non-permanent residents with a usual place of residence in Canada:
  • Who are claiming refugee status (asylum seekers)
  • Who hold a study permit (valid on reference date)
  • Who hold a work permit (valid on reference date) and family members living with them.

The 2021 Census population universe does not include foreign residents, but since 1991, it has included non-permanent residents.

Precocity error

Precocity error represents the difference between preliminary and final estimate in terms of its relative proportion of the total population for a given geographical area. It can be calculated for either population estimates or components of demographic growth.

Rate

Rate refers to the ratio of the number of events estimated in a year (t, t+1) to the average populations at the beginning and the end of the period. In this regard, births, deaths, immigration rates, etc. are calculated.

Residual deviation

Residual deviation represents the difference between demographic population growth calculated using intercensal estimates of population between two dates and that obtained by the sum of the components for the same period. This deviation results from the distribution of the error of closure (based on the number of days) over the five-year period.

Returning emigrant

Returning emigrant refers to a Canadian citizen or immigrant who has previously emigrated from Canada and subsequently returned to the country. Returning emigrant may be either long-term or short-term.

Sex at birth

Sex at birth refers to sex assigned at birth. Sex at birth is typically assigned based on a person's reproductive system and other physical characteristics.

Sex at birth may also be understood as the sex recorded at a person's birth (for example, what was recorded on their birth certificate).

Short-term emigrant

Short-term emigrant refers to a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant who has left Canada to take up short-term residence in another country.

Short-term returning emigrant

Short-term returning emigrant refers to a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant who has already emigrated from Canada on a short-term basis and subsequently returned to live in Canada.

Sprague coefficients

Sprague coefficients represent a series of factors which, when multiplied to a population distributed by multiples age groups, give a distribution of the same population by single years of age.

Stillbirth (fetal death)

Stillbirth refers to the death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy; the death is indicated by the fact that after such separation the fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles. Only fetal deaths where the product of conception has a birth weight of 500 grams or more or the duration of pregnancy is 20 weeks or longer are registered in Canada.

Total net migration

Total net migration represents the sum of net international and net internal migration.

Usual place of residence

Usual place of residence in Canada refers to the main dwelling in which the person lives most of the time. It is used to identify the person as a member of a particular household and, potentially, family (depending on the composition of the household).

Vital statistics

Vital statistics refers to all the demographic events (births, deaths, marriages and divorces) for which there is a legal requirement to inform the Provincial or Territorial Registrar's Office.

Women+

Women+ refers to the gender category which includes women (and/or girls), as well as some non-binary persons.

Year

Year refers to the period beginning July 1 of a given year and ending June 30 of the following year, unless otherwise specified.