2006 Census Topic-based tabulations

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Topic-based tabulation: Ethnic Origin (247), Generation Status (4), Single and Multiple Ethnic Origin Responses (3) and Sex (3) for the Population 15 Years and Over of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 2006 Census - 20% Sample Data

About this tabulation

General information

Catalogue number :97-562-XCB2006015
Release date :April 2, 2008
Topic :Ethnic origin and visible minorities
Data dimensions :

Note

Note: Ethnic origin

In 2006, the Ethnic origin question asked: 'What were the ethnic or cultural origins of this person's ancestors?' Respondents were asked to specify as many origins as applicable. Four write-in spaces were provided and up to six ethnic origins were retained.

Since 1981, when respondents were first permitted to report more than one ethnic origin in the census, a distinction has been made between single and multiple ethnic origin responses. A 'single' response is given when a respondent provides one ethnic origin only. A 'multiple' response is given when a respondent provides two or more ethnic origins. A 'total response' indicates the sum of single and multiple responses for each specific group.

It must be noted that the measurement of ethnicity is affected by changes in the social environment in which the question is asked, and changes in the respondent's understanding or views about the topic. Awareness of family background or length of time since immigration can affect responses to the ethnic origin question. Some respondents may confuse or combine the concept of ethnic origin with other concepts such as citizenship, nationality, language or cultural identity.

As well, some respondents may choose to provide very specific ethnic origins in the census, while others may choose to give more general responses. This means that two respondents with the same ethnic ancestry could have different response patterns and thus could be counted as having different ethnic origins. For example, one respondent may report 'East Indian' ethnic origin while another respondent, with a similar ancestral background, may report 'Punjabi' or 'South Asian' origins; one respondent may report 'Black' while another, similar respondent, may report 'Ghanaian' or 'African.' As a result, ethnic origin data are very fluid, and counts for certain origins, such as 'East Indian' and 'Black,' may seem lower than initially expected. Users who wish to obtain broader response counts may wish to combine data for two or more ethnic origins together or use counts for ethnic categories such as 'South Asian origins' or 'African origins.'

For additional information on issues related to the collection and dissemination of ethnic origin data, and on the comparability of ethnic origin data over time, refer to the Ethnic Origin Reference Guide, 2006 Census, Catalogue number 97-562-GWE2006025.

Note: Impact of municipal restructuring

The boundaries and names of municipalities (census subdivisions) can change from one census to the next because of annexations, dissolutions and incorporations. To bridge the impact of these municipal changes on data dissemination, the 2006 Census team is producing a profile for dissolved census subdivisions. For additional information, please refer to the 2006 Census Dictionary, catalogue number 92-566-XWE or 92-566-XPE.

Note: Institutional residents

People in seniors' residences in the 2006 Census are classified as 'not living in an institution'. This is a change from the 2001 Census where they were classified as institutional residents, specifically, 'living in an institution, resident under care or custody'.

Note: Non-permanent residents and the census universe

In the 2006 Census, non-permanent residents are defined as people from another country who, at the time of the census, held a Work or Study Permit, or who were refugee claimants, as well as family members living in Canada with them. In the 1991, 1996 and 2001 censuses, non-permanent residents also included persons who held a Minister's permit; this was discontinued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada prior to the 2006 Census.

From 1991 on, the Census of Population has enumerated both permanent and non-permanent residents of Canada. Prior to 1991, only permanent residents of Canada were included in the census. (The only exception to this occurred in 1941.) Non-permanent residents were considered foreign residents and were not enumerated.

Total population counts, as well as counts for all variables, are affected by this change in the census universe. Users should be especially careful when comparing data from 1991, 1996, 2001 or 2006 with data from previous censuses in geographic areas where there is a concentration of non-permanent residents.

Today in Canada, non-permanent residents make up a significant segment of the population, especially in several census metropolitan areas. Their presence can affect the demand for such government services as health care, schooling, employment programs and language training. The inclusion of non-permanent residents in the census facilitates comparisons with provincial and territorial statistics (marriages, divorces, births and deaths) which include this population. In addition, this inclusion of non-permanent residents brings Canadian practice closer to the United Nations (UN) recommendation that long-term residents (persons living in a country for one year or longer) be enumerated in the census.

Although every attempt has been made to enumerate non-permanent residents, factors such as language difficulties, the reluctance to complete a government form or to understand the need to participate may have affected the enumeration of this population.

For additional information, please refer to the 2006 Census Dictionary, catalogue number 92-566-XWE or 92-566-XPE.

For counts of the non-permanent resident population in 1991, 2001 and 2006, please refer to the 2006 Census table 97-557-XCB2006006.


Note: Population universe

The population universe of the 2006 Census includes the following groups:
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants with a usual place of residence in Canada;
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants who are abroad, either on a military base or attached to a diplomatic mission;
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants at sea or in port aboard merchant vessels under Canadian registry;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who are claiming refugee status and members of their families living with them;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold Study Permits and members of their families living with them;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold Work Permits and members of their families living with them.

For census purposes, the last three groups in this list are referred to as 'non-permanent residents'. For further information, refer to the variable Immigration: Non-permanent resident found in the 2006 Census Dictionary, catalogue number 92-566-XWE or 92-566-XPE.

Data table

Select data categories for this table


This table details ethnic origin , generation status , single and multiple ethnic origin responses and sex for the population 15 years and over in Châteauguay, V
Ethnic origin (247) Generation status (4)
Total - Generation status 1st generationFootnote 2 2nd generationFootnote 3 3rd generation or moreFootnote 4
Total - Ethnic originFootnote 5 34,355 4,140 3,340 26,880
British Isles origins 7,455 425 1,140 5,890
Cornish 0 0 0 0
English 3,110 240 505 2,365
Irish 3,815 100 430 3,280
Manx 0 0 0 0
Scottish 2,855 130 430 2,295
Welsh 200 0 40 160
British Isles, n.i.e.Footnote 6 400 15 90 295
French origins 9,970 340 545 9,085
Acadian 95 0 0 95
French 9,905 340 545 9,020
Aboriginal origins 995 10 60 925
Inuit 0 0 0 0
Métis 80 0 0 80
North American Indian 950 15 60 880
Other North American origins 19,800 135 885 18,780
American 260 35 65 160
Canadian 19,040 105 825 18,110
Newfoundlander 10 0 0 10
Nova Scotian 0 0 0 0
Ontarian 0 0 0 10
Québécois 685 0 30 655
Other provincial or regional groups 0 0 0 0
Caribbean origins 1,185 705 405 75
Antiguan 10 0 0 0
Bahamian 0 0 0 0
Barbadian 245 95 110 35
Bermudan 0 0 0 0
Carib 0 0 0 0
Cuban 35 25 10 0
Dominican, n.o.s.Footnote 7 15 10 0 0
Grenadian 30 25 0 0
Guyanese 50 30 25 0
Haitian 270 195 65 0
Jamaican 285 145 120 20
Kittitian/Nevisian 0 0 0 0
Martinican 0 0 0 0
Montserratan 0 0 0 0
Puerto Rican 0 0 0 0
St. Lucian 0 0 0 0
Trinidadian/Tobagonian 85 60 25 10
Vincentian/Grenadinian 20 20 0 0
West Indian 180 90 80 0
Caribbean, n.i.e.Footnote 8 0 0 0 0
Latin, Central and South American origins 535 390 130 15
Aboriginal from Central/South America 0 0 0 0
Argentinian 15 0 10 10
Belizean 0 0 0 0
Bolivian 10 10 0 0
Brazilian 0 10 0 0
Chilean 15 15 0 0
Colombian 10 10 0 0
Costa Rican 0 0 0 0
Ecuadorian 0 0 0 0
Guatemalan 95 80 15 0
Hispanic 10 10 0 0
Honduran 10 0 0 0
Maya 10 10 0 0
Mexican 50 30 15 0
Nicaraguan 10 10 0 0
Panamanian 20 10 15 0
Paraguayan 0 0 0 0
Peruvian 55 50 10 0
Salvadorean 100 80 25 0
Uruguayan 10 10 0 0
Venezuelan 60 50 10 0
Latin, Central or South American, n.i.e.Footnote 9 50 15 35 10
European origins 5,405 1,855 1,415 2,135
Western European origins 1,455 400 370 680
Austrian 80 40 10 30
Belgian 120 40 30 55
Dutch (Netherlands) 150 50 65 35
Flemish 0 0 0 0
Frisian 0 0 0 0
German 1,075 285 260 525
Luxembourger 0 0 0 0
Swiss 95 15 30 50
Northern European origins 255 30 70 150
Finnish 15 0 0 10
Scandinavian origins 245 30 65 155
Danish 50 0 20 30
Icelandic 0 0 0 0
Norwegian 105 20 35 50
Swedish 80 10 15 60
Scandinavian, n.i.e.Footnote 10 20 10 0 15
Eastern European origins 1,345 570 350 425
Baltic origins 35 0 20 10
Estonian 10 0 0 0
Latvian 0 0 0 0
Lithuanian 30 10 15 10
Byelorussian 0 0 0 0
Czech and Slovak origins 135 25 60 55
Czech 80 15 40 25
Czechoslovakian 50 10 15 25
Slovak 10 0 10 0
Hungarian (Magyar) 190 85 70 30
Polish 475 210 125 140
Romanian 185 140 35 10
Russian 220 125 35 60
Ukrainian 255 20 80 155
Southern European origins 2,655 925 775 960
Albanian 0 0 0 0
Bosnian 0 0 0 0
Bulgarian 25 20 0 10
Croatian 35 25 10 0
Cypriot 0 0 0 0
Greek 210 75 95 35
Italian 1,700 420 475 800
Kosovar 0 0 0 0
Macedonian 0 0 0 0
Maltese 0 0 0 0
Montenegrin 0 0 0 0
Portuguese 215 105 50 55
Serbian 0 0 0 0
Sicilian 0 0 0 0
Slovenian 80 30 45 10
Spanish 425 255 105 60
Yugoslav, n.i.e.Footnote 11 25 0 10 20
Other European origins 160 55 10 90
Basque 0 0 0 0
Gypsy (Roma) 0 0 0 0
Jewish 140 50 10 85
Slav (European) 0 0 0 0
European, n.i.e.Footnote 12 20 10 0 0
African origins 355 245 75 25
Afrikaner 0 0 0 0
Akan 0 0 0 0
Amhara 0 0 0 0
Angolan 0 0 0 0
Ashanti 0 0 0 0
Bantu 0 0 0 0
Black 90 50 30 10
Burundian 15 15 0 0
Cameroonian 0 0 0 0
Chadian 10 10 0 0
Congolese (Zairian) 25 25 0 0
Congolese, n.o.s.Footnote 13 0 0 0 0
Dinka 0 0 0 0
East African 0 0 0 0
Eritrean 0 0 0 0
Ethiopian 0 0 0 0
Gabonese 0 0 0 0
Gambian 0 0 0 0
Ghanaian 15 15 0 0
Guinean, n.o.s.Footnote 14 15 10 0 0
Harari 0 0 0 0
Ibo 0 0 0 0
Ivorian 0 0 0 0
Kenyan 10 10 0 0
Malagasy 0 0 0 0
Malian 10 10 0 0
Mauritian 25 10 15 0
Nigerian 0 0 0 0
Oromo 0 0 0 0
Peulh 0 0 0 0
Rwandan 0 10 0 0
Senegalese 0 0 0 0
Seychellois 0 0 0 0
Sierra Leonean 0 0 0 0
Somali 0 0 0 0
South African 0 0 0 0
Sudanese 0 0 0 0
Tanzanian 0 0 0 0
Tigrian 0 0 0 0
Togolese 0 0 0 0
Ugandan 0 0 0 0
Yoruba 0 0 0 0
Zambian 0 0 0 0
Zimbabwean 0 0 0 0
Zulu 0 0 0 0
African, n.i.e.Footnote 15 170 125 35 15
Arab origins 290 195 50 50
Egyptian 35 10 25 0
Iraqi 0 0 0 0
Jordanian 0 0 0 0
Kuwaiti 0 0 0 0
Lebanese 90 45 0 40
Libyan 0 0 0 0
Maghrebi origins 95 80 10 10
Algerian 0 0 0 0
Berber 10 10 0 0
Moroccan 70 60 0 10
Tunisian 10 10 0 0
Maghrebi, n.i.e.Footnote 16 0 0 0 0
Palestinian 0 0 0 0
Saudi Arabian 0 0 0 0
Syrian 25 15 10 0
Yemeni 0 0 0 0
Arab, n.i.e.Footnote 17 60 50 10 0
West Asian origins 125 110 10 0
Afghan 10 0 10 0
Armenian 50 50 0 0
Assyrian 0 0 0 0
Azerbaijani 0 0 0 0
Georgian 0 0 0 0
Iranian 45 45 0 0
Israeli 0 0 0 0
Kurd 0 0 0 0
Pashtun 0 0 0 0
Tatar 0 0 0 0
Turk 20 20 10 0
West Asian, n.i.e.Footnote 18 0 0 0 0
South Asian origins 280 165 100 10
Bangladeshi 10 0 0 0
Bengali 0 0 0 0
East Indian 260 150 95 10
Goan 0 0 0 0
Gujarati 0 0 0 0
Kashmiri 0 0 0 0
Nepali 0 0 0 0
Pakistani 10 0 15 0
Punjabi 0 0 0 0
Sinhalese 0 0 0 0
Sri Lankan 0 0 0 0
Tamil 0 0 0 0
South Asian, n.i.e.Footnote 19 10 10 0 0
East and Southeast Asian origins 270 200 50 15
Burmese 0 0 0 0
Cambodian 30 30 0 0
Chinese 105 65 25 10
Filipino 80 65 10 0
Hmong 0 0 0 0
Indonesian 10 0 0 0
Japanese 25 0 15 0
Khmer 0 0 0 0
Korean 10 0 0 0
Laotian 10 0 0 0
Malaysian 0 0 0 0
Mongolian 0 0 0 0
Singaporean 0 0 0 0
Taiwanese 0 0 0 0
Thai 15 10 0 0
Tibetan 0 0 0 0
Vietnamese 30 35 0 0
East or Southeast Asian, n.i.e.Footnote 20 0 0 0 0
Asian, n.o.s.Footnote 21 0 0 0 0
Oceania origins 15 0 0 0
Australian 10 0 0 0
New Zealander 0 0 0 0
Pacific Islands origins 0 0 0 0
Fijian 0 0 0 0
Hawaiian 0 0 0 0
Maori 0 0 0 0
Polynesian 0 0 0 0
Samoan 0 0 0 0
Pacific Islander, n.i.e.Footnote 22 0 0 0 0

Footnotes

Footnote 1

The category 'Total - Single and multiple ethnic origin responses' indicates the number of respondents who reported each ethnic origin, either as their only response or in addition to one or more other ethnic origins. Total responses represent the sum of single responses and multiple responses received in the census.

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Footnote 2

Persons born outside Canada. For the most part, these are people who are now, or have ever been, landed immigrants in Canada. Also included in the first generation are a small number of people born outside Canada to parents who are Canadian citizens by birth. In addition, the first generation includes people who are non-permanent residents (defined as people from another country living in Canada on Work or Study Permits or as refugee claimants, and any family members living with them in Canada).

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Footnote 3

Persons born inside Canada with at least one parent born outside Canada. This includes (a) persons born in Canada with both parents born outside Canada and (b) persons born in Canada with one parent born in Canada and one parent born outside Canada (these persons may have grandparents born inside or outside Canada as well).

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Footnote 4

Persons born inside Canada with both parents born inside Canada (these persons may have grandparents born inside or outside Canada as well).

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Footnote 5

This is a total population count. The sum of the ethnic groups in this table is greater than the total population count because a person may report more than one ethnic origin in the census.

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Footnote 6

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 7

The abbreviation 'n.o.s.' means 'not otherwise specified.'

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Footnote 8

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 9

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 10

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 11

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 12

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 13

The abbreviation 'n.o.s.' means 'not otherwise specified.'

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Footnote 14

The abbreviation 'n.o.s.' means 'not otherwise specified.'

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Footnote 15

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 16

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 17

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 18

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 19

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 20

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 21

The abbreviation 'n.o.s.' means 'not otherwise specified.'

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Footnote 22

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 97-562-XCB2006015.

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