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. 1Footnote 2
Ethnic origin (247) Generation status (4)
Total - Generation status 1st generationFootnote 3 2nd generationFootnote 4 3rd generation or moreFootnote 5
Total - Ethnic originFootnote 6 59,385 5,890 12,040 41,450
British Isles origins 26,505 1,995 4,555 19,955
Cornish 0 0 0 0
English 16,465 1,430 3,030 12,010
Irish 8,740 420 1,200 7,110
Manx 0 0 0 0
Scottish 10,760 525 1,635 8,600
Welsh 1,125 95 205 825
British Isles, n.i.e.Footnote 7 695 100 140 455
French origins 5,450 145 500 4,805
Acadian 10 0 0 15
French 5,440 145 500 4,795
Aboriginal origins 2,435 10 150 2,275
Inuit 55 0 10 45
Métis 1,240 0 60 1,180
North American Indian 1,275 10 90 1,175
Other North American origins 12,410 215 1,920 10,275
American 1,320 75 405 840
Canadian 11,445 145 1,625 9,675
Newfoundlander 0 0 0 0
Nova Scotian 0 0 0 0
Ontarian 0 0 0 0
Québécois 10 0 10 0
Other provincial or regional groups 15 0 0 10
Caribbean origins 50 25 25 0
Antiguan 15 0 15 0
Bahamian 0 0 0 0
Barbadian 0 0 0 0
Bermudan 0 0 0 0
Carib 0 0 0 0
Cuban 10 0 10 0
Dominican, n.o.s.Footnote 8 0 0 0 0
Grenadian 0 0 0 0
Guyanese 0 0 0 0
Haitian 0 0 0 0
Jamaican 0 0 0 0
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 0 0 0 0
Vincentian/Grenadinian 0 0 0 0
West Indian 0 10 0 0
Caribbean, n.i.e.Footnote 9 10 10 0 0
Latin, Central and South American origins 380 265 65 55
Aboriginal from Central/South America 30 15 15 0
Argentinian 0 0 0 10
Belizean 0 0 0 0
Bolivian 0 0 0 0
Brazilian 60 0 20 35
Chilean 20 20 0 0
Colombian 0 0 0 0
Costa Rican 0 0 0 0
Ecuadorian 0 0 0 0
Guatemalan 15 20 0 0
Hispanic 0 10 0 0
Honduran 15 15 0 0
Maya 0 10 0 0
Mexican 15 10 0 0
Nicaraguan 85 75 10 0
Panamanian 0 0 0 0
Paraguayan 0 0 0 0
Peruvian 0 0 0 0
Salvadorean 120 120 0 0
Uruguayan 0 0 0 0
Venezuelan 0 10 0 0
Latin, Central or South American, n.i.e.Footnote 10 30 15 0 10
European origins 37,715 3,050 8,560 26,110
Western European origins 27,360 1,980 6,030 19,355
Austrian 615 30 130 460
Belgian 335 15 55 260
Dutch (Netherlands) 2,835 405 905 1,530
Flemish 25 0 10 10
Frisian 30 0 15 10
German 24,500 1,525 5,115 17,855
Luxembourger 20 0 20 0
Swiss 250 45 40 165
Northern European origins 5,940 145 1,240 4,560
Finnish 250 10 55 185
Scandinavian origins 5,745 140 1,180 4,425
Danish 1,005 50 315 640
Icelandic 200 0 15 185
Norwegian 3,255 35 610 2,615
Swedish 1,735 45 375 1,320
Scandinavian, n.i.e.Footnote 11 195 10 30 155
Eastern European origins 11,455 545 2,285 8,630
Baltic origins 85 10 20 50
Estonian 0 0 0 0
Latvian 25 0 0 15
Lithuanian 65 10 20 35
Byelorussian 0 0 0 0
Czech and Slovak origins 490 15 155 325
Czech 210 10 55 145
Czechoslovakian 200 0 65 130
Slovak 80 10 30 50
Hungarian (Magyar) 880 50 220 605
Polish 2,475 185 485 1,800
Romanian 575 60 130 380
Russian 4,440 130 1,020 3,290
Ukrainian 3,940 115 485 3,345
Southern European origins 1,855 590 405 855
Albanian 25 20 0 0
Bosnian 20 20 0 0
Bulgarian 30 0 25 0
Croatian 70 35 20 15
Cypriot 0 0 0 0
Greek 125 35 35 55
Italian 990 170 230 595
Kosovar 0 0 0 0
Macedonian 0 0 0 0
Maltese 10 0 0 10
Montenegrin 0 0 0 0
Portuguese 85 30 15 40
Serbian 15 10 0 0
Sicilian 10 0 0 0
Slovenian 25 10 15 0
Spanish 350 250 50 50
Yugoslav, n.i.e.Footnote 12 215 60 65 90
Other European origins 250 55 60 135
Basque 0 0 0 0
Gypsy (Roma) 10 0 0 10
Jewish 120 10 40 75
Slav (European) 0 0 0 10
European, n.i.e.Footnote 13 120 45 15 55
African origins 110 80 0 30
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 20 0 0 20
Burundian 0 0 0 0
Cameroonian 0 0 0 0
Chadian 0 0 0 0
Congolese (Zairian) 0 0 0 0
Congolese, n.o.s.Footnote 14 0 0 0 0
Dinka 0 0 0 0
East African 0 0 0 0
Eritrean 0 0 0 0
Ethiopian 10 10 0 0
Gabonese 0 0 0 0
Gambian 0 0 0 0
Ghanaian 0 0 0 0
Guinean, n.o.s.Footnote 15 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 10 10 0 0
Malian 0 0 0 0
Mauritian 0 0 0 0
Nigerian 0 0 0 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 0 0 0 0
Somali 10 10 0 0
South African 10 0 0 10
Sudanese 10 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 16 50 50 0 10
Arab origins 90 10 20 55
Egyptian 10 0 0 10
Iraqi 0 0 0 0
Jordanian 0 0 0 0
Kuwaiti 0 0 0 0
Lebanese 65 10 20 35
Libyan 0 0 0 0
Maghrebi origins 0 0 0 0
Algerian 0 0 0 0
Berber 0 0 0 0
Moroccan 0 0 0 0
Tunisian 0 0 0 0
Maghrebi, n.i.e.Footnote 17 0 0 0 0
Palestinian 0 0 0 0
Saudi Arabian 0 0 0 0
Syrian 10 0 0 10
Yemeni 0 0 0 0
Arab, n.i.e.Footnote 18 0 0 0 0
West Asian origins 20 15 10 0
Afghan 0 0 0 0
Armenian 10 0 0 0
Assyrian 0 0 0 0
Azerbaijani 0 0 0 0
Georgian 0 0 0 0
Iranian 10 0 10 0
Israeli 0 0 0 0
Kurd 0 0 0 0
Pashtun 0 0 0 0
Tatar 0 0 0 0
Turk 0 0 0 0
West Asian, n.i.e.Footnote 19 10 10 0 0
South Asian origins 205 165 10 30
Bangladeshi 0 0 0 0
Bengali 0 0 0 0
East Indian 150 110 10 30
Goan 10 0 0 0
Gujarati 0 0 0 0
Kashmiri 0 0 0 0
Nepali 0 0 0 0
Pakistani 40 40 0 0
Punjabi 10 10 0 0
Sinhalese 0 0 0 0
Sri Lankan 0 0 0 0
Tamil 10 10 0 0
South Asian, n.i.e.Footnote 20 10 10 0 0
East and Southeast Asian origins 885 570 135 185
Burmese 0 0 0 0
Cambodian 15 15 0 0
Chinese 510 295 90 120
Filipino 130 100 25 0
Hmong 0 0 0 0
Indonesian 0 0 0 0
Japanese 65 0 10 60
Khmer 0 0 0 0
Korean 120 120 0 10
Laotian 10 10 0 0
Malaysian 10 10 0 0
Mongolian 0 0 0 0
Singaporean 0 0 0 0
Taiwanese 0 0 0 0
Thai 10 0 0 0
Tibetan 0 0 0 0
Vietnamese 65 60 0 0
East or Southeast Asian, n.i.e.Footnote 21 0 0 0 0
Asian, n.o.s.Footnote 22 10 0 0 10
Oceania origins 40 20 0 10
Australian 20 10 0 10
New Zealander 0 0 0 0
Pacific Islands origins 15 15 0 10
Fijian 0 10 0 0
Hawaiian 0 0 0 0
Maori 10 0 0 0
Polynesian 0 0 0 0
Samoan 0 0 0 0
Pacific Islander, n.i.e.Footnote 23 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

Data quality index showing, for the short census questionnaire (100% data), a global non response rate higher than or equal to 5% but lower than 10%.

Data quality index showing, for the long census questionnaire (20% sample data), a global non response rate higher than or equal to 5% but lower than 10%.

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Footnote 3

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 4

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 5

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 6

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 7

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

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Footnote 8

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

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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.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 14

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

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Footnote 15

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

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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.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere.'

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Footnote 22

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

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Footnote 23

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

Footnote a

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Footnote d

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