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 Division No. 11
Ethnic origin (247) Generation status (4)
Total - Generation status 1st generationFootnote 2 2nd generationFootnote 3 3rd generation or moreFootnote 4
Total - Ethnic originFootnote 5 196,225 19,520 34,380 142,320
British Isles origins 87,240 4,420 13,865 68,960
Cornish 15 0 0 0
English 52,660 2,750 8,770 41,140
Irish 31,045 1,080 3,965 26,000
Manx 20 0 10 0
Scottish 38,560 1,400 5,310 31,845
Welsh 4,220 235 740 3,250
British Isles, n.i.e.Footnote 6 2,280 255 490 1,535
French origins 23,015 510 1,860 20,645
Acadian 45 0 0 45
French 22,980 515 1,850 20,620
Aboriginal origins 15,705 160 710 14,840
Inuit 75 0 10 75
Métis 6,055 20 320 5,710
North American Indian 10,290 140 425 9,730
Other North American origins 33,040 665 4,240 28,140
American 2,900 355 805 1,740
Canadian 30,920 360 3,650 26,915
Newfoundlander 30 0 15 15
Nova Scotian 0 0 0 0
Ontarian 0 0 0 10
Québécois 50 0 0 50
Other provincial or regional groups 0 0 10 0
Caribbean origins 305 130 155 25
Antiguan 0 0 0 0
Bahamian 0 0 0 0
Barbadian 25 15 10 0
Bermudan 0 0 0 0
Carib 0 0 0 0
Cuban 0 0 0 0
Dominican, n.o.s.Footnote 7 0 0 0 0
Grenadian 0 0 0 0
Guyanese 45 20 15 0
Haitian 0 0 0 0
Jamaican 70 25 35 15
Kittitian/Nevisian 0 0 0 0
Martinican 10 10 0 0
Montserratan 0 0 0 0
Puerto Rican 0 0 0 0
St. Lucian 10 0 10 0
Trinidadian/Tobagonian 40 25 15 0
Vincentian/Grenadinian 0 0 0 0
West Indian 95 30 60 10
Caribbean, n.i.e.Footnote 8 10 0 10 10
Latin, Central and South American origins 950 730 130 90
Aboriginal from Central/South America 65 55 0 10
Argentinian 40 10 15 15
Belizean 0 0 0 0
Bolivian 0 0 0 0
Brazilian 40 20 25 0
Chilean 190 135 50 0
Colombian 45 45 0 0
Costa Rican 20 20 0 0
Ecuadorian 10 0 0 0
Guatemalan 20 20 0 0
Hispanic 10 10 0 0
Honduran 0 0 0 0
Maya 0 0 0 0
Mexican 215 145 25 40
Nicaraguan 30 30 0 0
Panamanian 0 0 0 0
Paraguayan 10 0 10 0
Peruvian 10 10 0 0
Salvadorean 230 215 0 10
Uruguayan 0 0 0 0
Venezuelan 15 10 0 10
Latin, Central or South American, n.i.e.Footnote 9 45 35 0 10
European origins 120,255 7,040 23,065 90,150
Western European origins 68,465 2,920 11,465 54,080
Austrian 2,795 120 550 2,125
Belgian 1,770 80 310 1,380
Dutch (Netherlands) 9,300 730 2,040 6,535
Flemish 130 10 60 65
Frisian 15 10 0 0
German 59,425 2,165 9,155 48,110
Luxembourger 95 0 70 20
Swiss 955 110 275 570
Northern European origins 23,355 705 3,915 18,735
Finnish 1,020 75 265 680
Scandinavian origins 22,560 655 3,710 18,195
Danish 2,050 255 500 1,295
Icelandic 1,510 20 135 1,355
Norwegian 14,555 305 2,365 11,880
Swedish 6,605 120 1,035 5,445
Scandinavian, n.i.e.Footnote 10 570 10 70 490
Eastern European origins 50,335 2,065 9,195 39,080
Baltic origins 280 35 100 145
Estonian 55 0 10 40
Latvian 95 25 20 40
Lithuanian 135 10 65 60
Byelorussian 50 10 0 40
Czech and Slovak origins 1,865 150 385 1,330
Czech 1,125 90 200 835
Czechoslovakian 510 30 115 360
Slovak 245 40 70 135
Hungarian (Magyar) 4,350 260 845 3,245
Polish 11,915 705 2,180 9,035
Romanian 1,560 200 250 1,110
Russian 8,925 320 1,340 7,265
Ukrainian 30,640 610 5,365 24,665
Southern European origins 5,400 2,015 1,380 2,000
Albanian 55 55 0 0
Bosnian 230 230 0 0
Bulgarian 100 45 15 40
Croatian 710 215 140 355
Cypriot 10 10 0 0
Greek 675 275 240 155
Italian 1,820 305 505 1,010
Kosovar 0 0 0 0
Macedonian 10 10 0 0
Maltese 30 0 10 20
Montenegrin 15 15 0 0
Portuguese 490 245 205 40
Serbian 180 115 10 50
Sicilian 0 0 0 0
Slovenian 115 70 35 10
Spanish 910 555 150 205
Yugoslav, n.i.e.Footnote 11 310 65 85 160
Other European origins 1,010 90 250 665
Basque 15 0 0 10
Gypsy (Roma) 20 0 0 15
Jewish 690 85 160 440
Slav (European) 45 0 10 30
European, n.i.e.Footnote 12 250 0 75 170
African origins 1,255 995 150 110
Afrikaner 10 10 0 0
Akan 0 0 0 0
Amhara 0 0 0 0
Angolan 0 0 0 0
Ashanti 0 0 0 0
Bantu 0 10 0 0
Black 120 55 30 40
Burundian 10 10 0 0
Cameroonian 0 0 0 0
Chadian 0 0 0 0
Congolese (Zairian) 0 0 0 0
Congolese, n.o.s.Footnote 13 0 10 0 0
Dinka 10 10 0 0
East African 0 0 0 0
Eritrean 75 60 15 0
Ethiopian 65 70 0 0
Gabonese 0 0 0 0
Gambian 0 0 0 0
Ghanaian 85 65 20 0
Guinean, n.o.s.Footnote 14 0 0 0 0
Harari 0 0 0 0
Ibo 0 0 0 0
Ivorian 0 0 0 0
Kenyan 0 0 0 0
Malagasy 0 0 0 0
Malian 0 0 0 0
Mauritian 0 0 0 0
Nigerian 135 130 10 0
Oromo 0 0 0 0
Peulh 0 0 0 0
Rwandan 0 0 0 0
Senegalese 0 0 0 0
Seychellois 0 0 0 0
Sierra Leonean 10 0 0 0
Somali 80 75 10 0
South African 80 60 10 10
Sudanese 210 190 10 10
Tanzanian 0 0 0 0
Tigrian 10 10 0 0
Togolese 0 0 0 0
Ugandan 40 35 0 0
Yoruba 0 10 0 0
Zambian 25 20 0 0
Zimbabwean 25 25 0 0
Zulu 0 10 0 0
African, n.i.e.Footnote 15 305 190 50 60
Arab origins 955 705 125 125
Egyptian 115 90 25 0
Iraqi 345 330 10 10
Jordanian 0 0 0 0
Kuwaiti 0 0 0 0
Lebanese 250 90 65 95
Libyan 15 10 0 0
Maghrebi origins 10 10 0 0
Algerian 0 0 0 0
Berber 0 0 0 0
Moroccan 10 0 0 0
Tunisian 10 0 0 0
Maghrebi, n.i.e.Footnote 16 0 0 0 0
Palestinian 0 0 0 0
Saudi Arabian 0 0 0 0
Syrian 85 40 10 35
Yemeni 0 0 0 0
Arab, n.i.e.Footnote 17 170 150 20 0
West Asian origins 675 570 65 45
Afghan 140 135 0 0
Armenian 35 10 10 15
Assyrian 80 55 15 10
Azerbaijani 20 10 15 0
Georgian 10 0 0 0
Iranian 295 250 30 10
Israeli 10 0 0 0
Kurd 25 30 0 0
Pashtun 0 0 0 0
Tatar 0 0 0 0
Turk 135 120 0 10
West Asian, n.i.e.Footnote 18 15 20 0 0
South Asian origins 1,990 1,560 370 55
Bangladeshi 30 30 0 0
Bengali 45 40 0 0
East Indian 1,585 1,215 320 55
Goan 0 0 0 0
Gujarati 0 0 0 0
Kashmiri 35 30 0 0
Nepali 25 25 0 0
Pakistani 115 75 40 0
Punjabi 50 40 10 0
Sinhalese 30 25 0 0
Sri Lankan 100 90 10 0
Tamil 15 10 0 0
South Asian, n.i.e.Footnote 19 60 60 0 0
East and Southeast Asian origins 6,455 4,855 1,260 340
Burmese 40 40 0 0
Cambodian 65 55 10 0
Chinese 3,975 2,870 885 220
Filipino 1,600 1,255 315 30
Hmong 0 0 0 0
Indonesian 55 50 0 0
Japanese 280 175 25 70
Khmer 0 0 0 0
Korean 100 100 0 0
Laotian 175 115 55 0
Malaysian 80 50 20 0
Mongolian 10 0 10 0
Singaporean 0 0 0 0
Taiwanese 20 10 10 0
Thai 45 25 20 0
Tibetan 0 0 0 0
Vietnamese 430 335 90 0
East or Southeast Asian, n.i.e.Footnote 20 10 0 0 0
Asian, n.o.s.Footnote 21 10 0 0 0
Oceania origins 360 130 85 150
Australian 290 95 75 115
New Zealander 35 10 15 15
Pacific Islands origins 40 20 0 20
Fijian 0 0 0 0
Hawaiian 0 0 0 0
Maori 25 25 0 0
Polynesian 0 0 0 0
Samoan 0 0 0 0
Pacific Islander, n.i.e.Footnote 22 20 0 0 20

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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Footnotes

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