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Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census

Census subdivision of West Vancouver, DM - British Columbia

Map of West Vancouver, DM (shaded in green), British Columbia

Map of West Vancouver, DM

Interactive version of map

Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A: West Vancouver, DM - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A description: West Vancouver, DM - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Prov. rank
21
Nat. rank
111

In 2011, West Vancouver (District municipality) had a population of 42,694, representing a percentage change of 1.3% from 2006. This compares to the national average growth of 5.9%.

Land area is 87.26 square kilometres with a population density of 489.3 persons per square kilometre. This compares to the provincial land area of 922,509.29 square kilometres with a population density of 4.8 persons per square kilometre.

In 2011, West Vancouver (District municipality) had 17,074 private dwellings occupied by usual residents. The change in private dwellings occupied by usual residents from 2006 was 1.4%. For Canada as a whole, the number of private dwellings occupied by usual residents increased 7.1%.

West Vancouver (District municipality) is part of the census metropolitan area of Vancouver.

Population and dwelling counts

West Vancouver (District municipality) – Neighbouring census subdivisions

Table 1 West Vancouver (District municipality) – Neighbouring census subdivisions, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2011 2006 % change
Greater Vancouver A, B.C. RDA 13,035 11,050 18.0
Vancouver, B.C. CY 603,502 578,041 4.4
North Vancouver, B.C. DM 84,412 82,562 2.2
Capilano 5, B.C. IRI 2,700 2,492 8.3

British Columbia – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the highest population growth

Table 2 British Columbia – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the highest population growth, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2011 2006 % change
Langford CY 29,228 22,459 30.1
Lake Country DM 11,708 9,606 21.9
Port Moody CY 32,975 27,512 19.9
Kent DM 5,664 4,738 E 19.5
Surrey CY 468,251 394,976 18.6

British Columbia – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the lowest population growth

Table 3 British Columbia – Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the lowest population growth, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2011 2006 % change
Kitimat DM 8,335 8,987 -7.3
Peace River D RDA 5,479 5,749 -4.7
Esquimalt DM 16,209 16,840 -3.7
Hope DM 5,969 6,185 -3.5
Okanagan-Similkameen D RDA 5,717 5,913 -3.3

Age and sex

West Vancouver, DM – Age distribution

Chart C: West Vancouver, DM - Population by broad age groups

Chart C description: West Vancouver, DM - Population by broad age groups

Table 4 West Vancouver, DM – Age distributions by broad age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
0 to 14 13.8% 15.4% 12.4%
15 to 64 60.7% 60.6% 60.8%
65 and over 25.5% 23.9% 26.8%

In 2011, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in West Vancouver, DM was 25.5%, compared with a national percentage of 14.8%. The percentage of the working age population (15 to 64) was 60.7% and the percentage of children aged 0 to 14 was 13.8%. In comparison, the national percentages were 68.5% for the population aged 15 to 64 and 16.7% for the population aged 0 to 14.

West Vancouver, DM – Population by broad age groups and sex

Table 5 West Vancouver, DM – Population by broad age groups, sex and population change between 2006 and 2011, 2006 to 2011 censuses
Broad age groups by sex Population
2011 2006 change % change
Both sexes
Total 42,695 42,135 560 1.3
0 to 14 5,890 6,080 -190 -3.1
15 to 64 25,935 26,360 -425 -1.6
65 and over 10,870 9,690 1,180 12.2
Males
Total 19,960 19,590 370 1.9
0 to 14 3,070 3,095 -25 -0.8
15 to 64 12,105 12,305 -200 -1.6
65 and over 4,780 4,190 590 14.1
Females
Total 22,740 22,540 200 0.9
0 to 14 2,820 2,985 -165 -5.5
15 to 64 13,830 14,055 -225 -1.6
65 and over 6,090 5,500 590 10.7

West Vancouver, DM – Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D: West Vancouver, DM - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D description: West Vancouver, DM - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Table 6 West Vancouver, DM – Population by five-year age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
Total - Age groups 42,695 19,960 22,740
0 to 4 years 1,290 700 590
5 to 9 years 2,030 1,055 975
10 to 14 years 2,570 1,320 1,250
15 to 19 years 3,045 1,580 1,465
20 to 24 years 2,380 1,230 1,145
25 to 29 years 1,305 645 660
30 to 34 years 1,095 465 635
35 to 39 years 1,600 625 975
40 to 44 years 2,755 1,155 1,595
45 to 49 years 3,335 1,490 1,845
50 to 54 years 3,575 1,655 1,920
55 to 59 years 3,495 1,665 1,825
60 to 64 years 3,350 1,590 1,755
65 to 69 years 2,905 1,420 1,485
70 to 74 years 2,295 1,085 1,210
75 to 79 years 1,920 885 1,035
80 to 84 years 1,780 720 1,055
85 years and over 1,965 670 1,290
Median age 49.9 49.1 50.6

West Vancouver, DM – Median age1 of the population

Chart E: Canada, British Columbia and West Vancouver, DM - Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses

Chart E description: Canada, British Columbia and West Vancouver, DM - Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses

In 2011, the median age in West Vancouver, DM was 49.9 years. In comparison, the median age of British Columbia was 41.9 years.

Table 7 Canada, British Columbia and West Vancouver, DM – Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses
  Median age
2006 2011
Canada 39.5 40.6
British Columbia 40.8 41.9
West Vancouver, DM 48.5 49.9

Families and households

In 2011, the number of census families2 in West Vancouver was 12,325, which represents a change of 2.2% from 2006. This compares to a growth rate for Canada of 5.5% over the same period.


In West Vancouver, 81.3% of census families were married couples in 2011, while 6.4% were common-law-couples and 12.3% were lone-parent families.

Chart F: West Vancouver - Census families by family structure

Chart F description: West Vancouver - Census families by family structure

West Vancouver – Family structure

Table 8 Canada, British Columbia, CSD of West Vancouver, DM and neighbouring census subdivisions – Distribution of census families by family structure, 2011 Census
Geographic name Total families Married-couple families Common-law-couple families Lone-parent families % change, census families, 2006 to 2011
number % number % number %
Canada † 9,389,695 6,293,950 67.0 1,567,905 16.7 1,527,840 16.3 5.5
British Columbia † 1,238,155 887,990 71.7 160,360 13.0 189,805 15.3 6.6
West Vancouver, DM 12,325 10,025 81.3 790 6.4 1,515 12.3 2.2
Greater Vancouver A, RDA 3,365 2,535 75.3 230 6.8 595 17.7 20.0
Vancouver, CY 151,330 103,025 68.1 23,580 15.6 24,720 16.3 3.9
North Vancouver, DM 24,355 19,065 78.3 2,060 8.5 3,230 13.3 2.3
Capilano 5, IRI 710 365 51.4 100 14.1 250 35.2 17.4

West Vancouver – Presence of children within couple families

Among couples (married and common-law) in the census subdivision of West Vancouver, 45.8% were couples with children aged 24 and under at home. In comparison, as a whole, 46.9% of couples in Canada had children aged 24 and under at home.

Presence of children within couple families
* Children aged 24 and under at home
Married couples with children * 4,710
Married couples without children * 5,315
Common-law-couples with children * 245
Common-law-couples without children * 540

West Vancouver – Marital status

Chart H: West Vancouver - Marital status

Chart H description: West Vancouver - Marital status

In West Vancouver, 60.7% of the total population aged 15 and over were either married (56.4%) or living with a common-law partner (4.3%).

The remaining 39.3% were not married and not living with a common-law partner, including those who were single (never-married), separated, divorced or widowed.

Note: Percentages may not total 100 percent due to random rounding.

Table 9 Canada, British Columbia, West Vancouver, DM – Population 15 years and older by marital status, 2011 Census
Marital status West Vancouver, DM British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Population 15 years and over 36,805 100.0 3,722,690 100.0 27,869,345 100.0
Married or living with a common-law partner 22,345 60.7 2,154,575 57.9 16,084,490 57.7
Married (and not separated) 20,765 56.4 1,832,605 49.2 12,941,965 46.4
Living common-law 1,580 4.3 321,965 8.6 3,142,525 11.3
Not married and not living with a common-law partner 14,460 39.3 1,568,120 42.1 11,784,855 42.3
Single (never legally married) 8,510 23.1 1,014,270 27.2 7,816,045 28.0
Separated 750 2.0 102,035 2.7 698,245 2.5
Divorced 2,340 6.4 246,515 6.6 1,686,035 6.0
Widowed 2,865 7.8 205,300 5.5 1,584,525 5.7

West Vancouver – Types of private households

There were 17,070 private households3 in West Vancouver in 2011, a change of 1.4% from 2006. Of these, 28.0% of households were comprised of couples with children aged 24 and under at home, a change of -3.4% compared with five years earlier.

Table 10 Canada, British Columbia, West Vancouver, DM – Distribution of households by household type, 2011 Census
Household type4 West Vancouver, DM British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total private households 17,070 100.0 1,764,635 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Couple-family households with children
aged 24 and under at home5		 4,785 28.0 431,135 24.4 3,524,915 26.5
Couple-family households without children
aged 24 and under at home6		 5,540 32.5 532,995 30.2 3,935,540 29.5
Lone-parent family households7 1,415 8.3 168,530 9.6 1,375,450 10.3
One-person households 4,785 28.0 498,925 28.3 3,673,310 27.6
Multiple family households8 290 1.7 50,410 2.9 268,060 2.0
Other households9 265 1.6 82,640 4.7 543,340 4.1

West Vancouver – Structural type of dwelling

In West Vancouver, 57.7% of private households lived in single-detached houses and 20.2% lived in apartments in buildings that have five or more storeys. The rest lived in other types of dwelling structures.

Table 11 Canada, British Columbia, West Vancouver, DM – Distribution of private households by structural type of dwelling, 2011 Census
Structural type of dwelling West Vancouver, DM British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Structural type of dwelling 17,075 100.0 1,764,640 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Single-detached house 9,845 57.7 842,120 47.7 7,329,150 55.0
Semi-detached house 560 3.3 52,825 3.0 646,240 4.9
Row house 360 2.1 130,370 7.4 791,600 5.9
Apartment, building that has five or more storeys 3,445 20.2 143,970 8.2 1,234,770 9.3
Apartment, building that has fewer than five storeys 1,495 8.8 361,150 20.5 2,397,555 18.0
Apartment, duplex 1,365 8.0 184,355 10.4 704,485 5.3
Other single-attached house10 5 0.0 2,885 0.2 33,310 0.3
Movable dwelling11 10 0.1 46,960 2.7 183,510 1.4

Language

West Vancouver, DM – Mother tongue

Chart J: West Vancouver, DM - Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home

Chart J description: West Vancouver, DM - Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home

Note: Counts for mother tongue as well as those for language spoken most often at home include single responses only.

In West Vancouver, 67.1% of the population reported English only as mother tongue, 1.3% reported French only, and 30.2% reported a non-official language only, in 2011. In comparison, the provincial / territorial percentages were 70.3% for English only, 1.3% for French only and 26.5% for only non-official languages.

In 2011, 79.0% of the population spoke only English most often at home, 0.5% spoke only French and 17.0% spoke only a non-official language. In comparison, the provincial / territorial percentages were 80.5% for only English, 0.4% for only French and 15.4% for only a non-official language.

Table 12 West Vancouver, DM – Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home, 2011 Census
Selected languages Mother tongue Language spoken most often at home
number % number %
Total 42,135 100.0 42,130 100.0
English 28,280 67.1 33,275 79.0
French 545 1.3 225 0.5
Non-official language 12,710 30.2 7,180 17.0
Multiple responses 600 1.4 1,455 3.5
Table 13 West Vancouver, DM – Mother-tongue retention, 2011 Census
Mother tongue Mother-tongue retention12
(in percentage)
Total retention; language spoken at home at least on a regular basis Complete retention; language spoken most often at home Partial retention; language spoken at home on a regular basis
Note: Counts for mother tongue and home language include single response of a language as well as multiple responses of a language with English and/or French.
English 99.6 99.1 0.5
French 56.4 33.8 22.6
Non-official language 78.8 59.9 18.9

West Vancouver, DM – Non-official languages

In West Vancouver, the three most common mother tongues were Persian (Farsi) (8.1%), Chinese, n.o.s. (3.4%) and Mandarin (3.2%), in 2011. In comparison, the most common mother tongues at the provincial / territorial level were Panjabi (Punjabi) (4.5%), Cantonese (3.2%) and Chinese, n.o.s. (2.9%).

Table 14 West Vancouver, DM – The most common non-official-language mother tongues, 2011 Census
Mother tongue Number Percentage of non-official language mother-tongue population Percentage of total population
Note: Counts for mother tongue and home language include single response of a language as well as multiple responses of a language with English and/or French.
Persian (Farsi) 3,400 25.7 8.1
Chinese, n.o.s. 1,415 10.7 3.4
Mandarin 1,335 10.1 3.2
German 1,015 7.7 2.4
Korean 915 6.9 2.2

West Vancouver, DM – Bilingualism

Table 15 West Vancouver, DM – Rate of English-French bilingualism by mother tongue and age groups, 2011 Census
Age groups Mother tongue
Total English French Non-official language
Note: Counts for mother tongue include single responses only. Consequently, the total excludes multiple responses.
Total 11.8 11.5 89.0 9.3
0 to 19 16.5 16.7 88.2 12.6
20 to 44 12.5 14.3 100.0 7.5
45 to 64 11.1 10.6 94.7 8.6
65 and over 8.3 6.0 78.1 10.7
Table 16 West Vancouver, DM – Knowledge of official languages, 2011 Census
Knowledge of official languages Number Percentage
Total 42,130 100.0
English only 35,925 85.3
French only 35 0.1
English and French 5,070 12.0
Neither English nor French 1,100 2.6

Symbols:

···
not applicable
†
excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements. For further information, refer to Notes.
incompletely enumerated Indian reserve or Indian settlement. For further information, refer to Notes.
A
adjusted figure due to boundary change. For further information, refer to Content considerations.
E
use with caution. For further information, refer to Cautionary note.


Source:

Statistics Canada. 2012. Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-310-XWE2011004. Ottawa, Ontario. Analytical products, 2011 Census. Last updated October 24, 2012.
 

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