2006 Census Topic-based tabulations

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Topic-based tabulation: Visible Minority Groups (15), Immigrant Status and Period of Immigration (9), Age Groups (10) and Sex (3) for the Population of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 Census - 20% Sample Data

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General information

Catalogue number :97-562-XCB2006011
Release date :April 2, 2008
Topic :Ethnic origin and visible minorities
Data dimensions :

Note

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

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This table details visible minority groups , immigrant status and period of immigration , age groups and sex for the population in MontréalFootnote 1
Visible minority groups (15) Immigrant status and period of immigration (9)
Total - Immigrant status and period of immigration Non-immigrantsFootnote 2 ImmigrantsFootnote 3 Before 1991 1991 to 2000 1991 to 1995 1996 to 2000 2001 to 2006Footnote 4 Non-permanent residentsFootnote 5
Total - Population by visible minority groups 3,588,520 2,806,235 740,355 384,440 190,570 97,515 93,055 165,345 41,930
Total visible minority populationFootnote 6 590,380 177,750 386,590 150,635 128,810 66,700 62,105 107,155 26,035
Chinese 72,010 17,430 52,070 17,440 16,975 8,125 8,850 17,660 2,510
South AsianFootnote 7 70,615 20,910 46,560 15,380 18,430 9,015 9,410 12,750 3,145
Black 169,065 67,890 94,510 44,580 27,265 14,190 13,075 22,660 6,665
Filipino 23,510 6,135 15,505 5,445 7,045 3,985 3,055 3,020 1,870
Latin American 75,400 16,510 54,130 20,565 18,155 11,335 6,820 15,415 4,755
Southeast AsianFootnote 8 44,965 14,215 29,940 20,855 6,760 4,490 2,270 2,325 805
Arab 98,880 23,525 71,395 18,730 25,625 11,665 13,965 27,035 3,960
West AsianFootnote 9 14,520 2,285 11,480 2,685 5,010 2,150 2,860 3,785 755
Korean 4,660 730 3,140 935 1,220 550 670 985 790
Japanese 2,985 1,440 1,080 375 355 135 225 350 465
Visible minority, n.i.e.Footnote 10 3,505 1,305 2,105 1,280 655 330 325 170 95
Multiple visible minorityFootnote 11 10,250 5,360 4,670 2,370 1,310 735 575 995 210
Not a visible minorityFootnote 12 2,998,140 2,628,490 353,765 233,805 61,765 30,820 30,945 58,190 15,895

Footnotes

Footnote 1

Excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements.

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%.

2001 adjusted count; most of these are the result of boundary changes.

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Footnote 2

Non-immigrants are persons who are Canadian citizens by birth. Although most Canadian citizens by birth were born in Canada, a small number were born outside Canada to Canadian parents.

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Footnote 3

Immigrants are persons who are, or have ever been, landed immigrants in Canada. A landed immigrant is a person who has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Some immigrants have resided in Canada for a number of years, while others are recent arrivals. Most immigrants are born outside Canada, but a small number were born in Canada. Includes immigrants who landed in Canada prior to Census Day, May 16, 2006.

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Footnote 4

Includes immigrants who landed in Canada prior to Census Day, May 16, 2006.

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Footnote 5

Non-permanent residents are persons 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 with them in Canada.

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Footnote 6

The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as 'persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour'.

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Footnote 7

For example, 'East Indian', 'Pakistani', 'Sri Lankan', etc.

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Footnote 8

For example, 'Vietnamese', 'Cambodian', 'Malaysian', 'Laotian', etc.

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Footnote 9

For example, 'Iranian', 'Afghan', etc.

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Footnote 10

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere'. Includes respondents who reported a write-in response such as 'Guyanese', 'West Indian', 'Kurd', 'Tibetan', 'Polynesian', 'Pacific Islander', etc.

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Footnote 11

Includes respondents who reported more than one visible minority group by checking two or more mark-in circles, e.g., 'Black' and 'South Asian'.

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Footnote 12

Includes respondents who reported 'Yes' to the Aboriginal identity question (Question 18) as well as respondents who were not considered to be members of a visible minority group.

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Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 97-562-XCB2006011.

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Footnotes

Footnote a

To access the comma separated values (CSV) file, use the conversion features available in most spreadsheet software, or use a free viewer, for example csview.

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Footnote b

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Footnote c

To access the Beyond 20/20 (IVT) version, you need the Beyond 20/20 Table Browser, which may be downloaded below. These links download files directly from an external site and are not the responsibility of Statistics Canada.

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Footnote d

XML (SDMX - ML) - Is a statistical data and metadata exchange standard for the electronic exchange of statistical information. Two extensible mark-up language (XML) files are provided in a compressed bundle.

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