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Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census

Province of Ontario 1

Map of Canada with the province of Ontario shaded in green

Map of Ontario

Interactive version of map

In 2011, the enumerated population of Ontario was 12,851,821 which represents a change of 5.7% from 2006. This compares to the national average of 5.9%.

The land area of Ontario is 908,607.67 square kilometres with a population density of 14.1 persons per square kilometre. This compares to the national land area of 8,965,121.42 square kilometres with a population density of 3.7 persons per square kilometre.

In total, there were 4,887,508 private dwellings occupied by usual residents in Ontario in 2011. This represents an increase of 7.3% of the number of private dwellings occupied by usual residents from 2006. For Canada as a whole, the total number of private dwellings occupied by usual residents increased 7.1%.

Population and dwelling counts

Canada, provinces and territories – Population, percentage change between 2006 and 2011

Chart A: Canada, provinces and territories - Population, percentage change between 2006 and 2011

Chart A description: Canada, provinces and territories - Population, percentage change between 2006 and 2011

Table 1 Canada, provinces and territories – Population change, 2006 to 2011
Geographic name Population
2011 2006 Change % change % of nat. pop.
Canada † 33,476,688 31,612,897 1,863,791 5.9 100.00
Newfoundland and Labrador 514,536 505,469 9,067 1.8 1.54
Prince Edward Island 140,204 135,851 4,353 3.2 0.42
Nova Scotia 921,727 913,462 8,265 0.9 2.75
New Brunswick 751,171 729,997 21,174 2.9 2.24
Quebec † 7,903,001 7,546,131 356,870 4.7 23.61
Ontario † 12,851,821 12,160,282 691,539 5.7 38.39
Manitoba † 1,208,268 1,148,401 59,867 5.2 3.61
Saskatchewan † 1,033,381 968,157 65,224 6.7 3.09
Alberta † 3,645,257 3,290,350 354,907 10.8 10.89
British Columbia † 4,400,057 4,113,487 286,570 7.0 13.14
Yukon 33,897 30,372 3,525 11.6 0.10
Northwest Territories 41,462 41,464 -2 0.0 0.12
Nunavut 31,906 29,474 2,432 8.3 0.10

Ontario – Census metropolitan areas (CMAs), census agglomerations (CAs) and regions outside CMAs and CAs

In 2011, 88.7% of the population of Ontario lived inside a census metropolitan area (CMA) or census agglomeration (CA). That represents 11,403,133 persons.


The number of persons living outside a census metropolitan area (CMA) and a census agglomeration (CA) was 1,448,688 which accounts for 11.3% of the provincial population.

Chart B: Ontario - population living inside a CMA or CA compared to population living outside a CMA or CA

Chart B description: Ontario - population living inside a CMA or CA compared to population living outside a CMA or CA

Table 2 Ontario - Metropolitan areas, population rank and population change, 2006 to 2011
CMA or CA name Type Population Rank
2011 2006 % change Nat. Prov.
Toronto CMA 5,583,064 5,113,149 9.2 1 1
Ottawa - Gatineau CMA 1,236,324 1,133,633 A 9.1 4 ···
Ottawa - Gatineau (partie du Québec / Quebec part)   314,501 286,831 A 9.6 ··· 3
Ottawa - Gatineau (Ontario part / partie de l'Ontario)   921,823 846,802 8.9 ··· 2
Hamilton CMA 721,053 692,911 4.1 9 3
Kitchener - Cambridge - Waterloo CMA 477,160 451,235 5.7 10 4
London CMA 474,786 457,720 3.7 11 5
St. Catharines - Niagara CMA 392,184 390,317 0.5 12 6
Oshawa CMA 356,177 330,594 7.7 14 7
Windsor CMA 319,246 323,342 -1.3 16 8
Barrie CMA 187,013 177,061 5.6 21 9
Greater Sudbury / Grand Sudbury CMA 160,770 158,258 1.6 24 10
Kingston CMA 159,561 152,358 4.7 25 11
Guelph CMA 141,097 133,698 A 5.5 28 12
Brantford CMA 135,501 124,607 8.7 30 13
Thunder Bay CMA 121,596 122,907 -1.1 32 14
Peterborough CMA 118,975 116,570 2.1 33 15
Chatham-Kent CA 104,075 108,589 -4.2 35 16
Belleville CA 92,540 91,518 1.1 40 17
Sarnia CA 89,555 88,793 0.9 44 18
Sault Ste. Marie † CA 79,800 80,098 -0.4 47 19
Kawartha Lakes CA 73,214 74,561 -1.8 49 20
North Bay CA 64,043 63,424 1.0 53 21
Norfolk CA 63,175 62,563 1.0 54 22
Cornwall CA 58,957 58,485 0.8 55 23
Leamington CA 49,765 49,741 0.0 63 24
Timmins CA 43,165 42,997 0.4 69 25
Orillia CA 40,731 40,532 0.5 73 26
Brockville CA 39,024 39,668 -1.6 75 27
Woodstock CA 37,754 35,822 A 5.4 76 28
Midland CA 35,419 35,432 A 0.0 79 29
Owen Sound CA 32,092 32,259 -0.5 85 30
Stratford CA 30,886 30,516 A 1.2 86 31
Centre Wellington CA 26,693 26,049 2.5 95 32
Pembroke CA 24,017 23,195 3.5 102 33
Collingwood CA 19,241 17,290 11.3 106 34
Cobourg CA 18,519 18,210 1.7 109 35
Port Hope CA 16,214 16,390 -1.1 121 36
Petawawa CA 15,988 14,651 9.1 123 37
Kenora CA 15,348 15,177 1.1 125 38
Tillsonburg CA 15,301 14,822 3.2 126 39
Temiskaming Shores CA 13,566 13,654 A -0.6 129 40
Ingersoll CA 12,146 11,760 3.3 142 41
Hawkesbury CA 12,128 12,267 -1.1 143 ···
Hawkesbury (partie du Québec / Quebec part)   1,577 1,398 12.8 ··· 31
Hawkesbury (Ontario part / partie de l'Ontario)   10,551 10,869 -2.9 ··· 43
Elliot Lake CA 11,348 11,549 -1.7 146 42

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

Table 3 Ontario – 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
Milton T 84,362 53,889 A 56.5
Whitchurch-Stouffville T 37,628 24,390 54.3
Ajax T 109,600 90,167 21.6
Brampton CY 523,911 433,806 20.8
Vaughan CY 288,301 238,866 20.7

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

Table 4 Ontario – 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
Thunder Bay, Unorganized NO 5,909 6,585 -10.3
Hearst T 5,090 5,620 -9.4
Dryden CY 7,617 8,195 -7.1
The Blue Mountains T 6,453 6,825 -5.5
Brock TP 11,341 11,979 -5.3

Age and sex

Ontario – Age distribution

Chart C: Ontario - Population by broad age groups

Chart C description: Ontario - Population by broad age groups

Table 5 Ontario – Age distributions by broad age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
0 to 14 17.0% 17.8% 16.1%
15 to 64 68.4% 68.9% 68.0%
65 and over 14.6% 13.3% 15.9%

In 2011, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in Ontario was 14.6%, compared with a national percentage of 14.8%. The percentage of the working age population (15 to 64) was 68.4% and the percentage of children aged 0 to 14 was 17.0%. 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.

Ontario – Population by broad age groups and sex

Table 6 Ontario – Population by broad age groups, sex and population change between 2006 and 2011, 2006 and 2011 censuses
Broad age groups by sex Population
2011 2006 change % change
Both sexes
Total 12,851,820 12,160,285 691,535 5.7
0 to 14 2,180,775 2,210,800 -30,025 -1.4
15 to 64 8,792,725 8,300,305 492,420 5.9
65 and over 1,878,325 1,649,180 229,145 13.9
Males
Total 6,263,140 5,930,700 332,440 5.6
0 to 14 1,117,510 1,133,850 -16,340 -1.4
15 to 64 4,312,525 4,079,330 233,195 5.7
65 and over 833,105 717,515 115,590 16.1
Females
Total 6,588,685 6,229,580 359,105 5.8
0 to 14 1,063,260 1,076,945 -13,685 -1.3
15 to 64 4,480,195 4,220,970 259,225 6.1
65 and over 1,045,220 931,665 113,555 12.2

Ontario – Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D: Ontario - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Chart D description: Ontario - Population by five-year age groups and sex

Table 7 Ontario – Population by five-year age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
Total - Age groups 12,851,820 6,263,140 6,588,685
0 to 4 years 704,260 360,590 343,670
5 to 9 years 712,755 365,285 347,470
10 to 14 years 763,755 391,625 372,125
15 to 19 years 863,635 443,680 419,950
20 to 24 years 852,905 432,490 420,415
25 to 29 years 815,120 400,045 415,070
30 to 34 years 800,365 383,340 417,025
35 to 39 years 844,330 405,850 438,485
40 to 44 years 924,075 447,920 476,155
45 to 49 years 1,055,880 517,505 538,370
50 to 54 years 1,006,140 492,560 513,580
55 to 59 years 864,620 418,760 445,865
60 to 64 years 765,655 370,375 395,280
65 to 69 years 563,485 270,875 292,610
70 to 74 years 440,780 206,350 234,435
75 to 79 years 356,150 161,340 194,805
80 to 84 years 271,510 113,620 157,890
85 to 89 years 165,780 58,405 107,370
90 to 94 years 63,255 18,650 44,600
95 to 99 years 15,340 3,545 11,800
100 years and over 2,025 315 1,710
Median age 40.4 39.4 41.3

Ontario – Median age2 of the population in the last 90 years

The median age in Ontario was 40.4 years. In comparison, the median age of Canada was 40.6 years.

Chart E: Ontario - Median age of the population in the last 90 years

Chart E description: Ontario - Median age of the population in the last 90 years

Table 8 Ontario and Canada – Median age of the population, 1921 to 2011 censuses
Median age Census year
1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011
Canada 23.9 24.7 27.0 27.7 26.3 26.2 29.6 33.5 37.6 40.6
Ontario 26.8 27.7 29.8 30.1 28.4 27.2 30.6 33.6 37.2 40.4

Families and households

In 2011, the number of census families3 in Ontario was 3,612,205, which represents a change of 5.5% from 2006. This compares to a growth rate for Canada of 5.5% over the same period.


In Ontario, 72.3% of census families were married couples in 2011, while 10.9% were common-law-couples and 16.7% were lone-parent families.

Chart F: Ontario - Census families by family structure

Chart F description: Ontario - Census families by family structure

Family structure

Table 9 Canada, provinces and territories – 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
Newfoundland and Labrador 159,385 114,335 71.7 20,630 12.9 24,420 15.3 2.3
Prince Edward Island 40,850 29,695 72.7 4,570 11.2 6,580 16.1 4.2
Nova Scotia 270,065 184,870 68.5 38,460 14.2 46,735 17.3 1.0
New Brunswick 224,590 152,455 67.9 35,945 16.0 36,190 16.1 3.1
Quebec † 2,203,625 1,143,370 51.9 694,750 31.5 365,515 16.6 3.9
Ontario † 3,612,205 2,612,890 72.3 394,670 10.9 604,645 16.7 5.5
Manitoba † 327,875 232,635 71.0 39,060 11.9 56,185 17.1 4.8
Saskatchewan † 285,375 202,770 71.1 35,785 12.5 46,825 16.4 6.7
Alberta † 999,525 719,355 72.0 135,660 13.6 144,510 14.5 10.5
British Columbia † 1,238,155 887,990 71.7 160,360 13.0 189,805 15.3 6.6
Yukon 9,330 5,080 54.4 2,340 25.1 1,915 20.5 11.9
Northwest Territories 10,930 5,465 50.0 3,135 28.7 2,330 21.3 0.5
Nunavut 7,780 3,035 39.0 2,545 32.7 2,195 28.2 10.5

Ontario – Presence of children within couple families

Among couples (married and common-law) in Ontario, 49.3% 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.

Among couples with children aged 24 and under at home in the province of Ontario, 89.0% were intact families, that is, in which all children were the biological or adopted children of both parents, while 11.0% were stepfamilies, in which at least one child was the biological or adopted child of only one married spouse or common-law partner. For Canada as a whole in 2011, 12.6% of couples with children aged 24 and under at home were stepfamilies.

Chart G: Ontario - Presence of children within couple families

Chart G description: Ontario - Presence of children within couple families



Ontario – Marital status

Chart H: Ontario - Marital status Chart H description: Ontario - Marital status

In Ontario, 57.7% of the total population aged 15 and over were either married (50.3%) or living with a common-law partner (7.4%).


The remaining 42.3% 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 10 Canada, Ontario – Population 15 years and older by marital status, 2011 Census
Marital status Ontario Canada
number % number %
Total - Population 15 years and over 10,671,050 100.0 27,869,345 100.0
Married or living with a common-law partner 6,158,605 57.7 16,084,490 57.7
Married (and not separated) 5,367,400 50.3 12,941,965 46.4
Living common-law 791,210 7.4 3,142,525 11.3
Not married and not living with a common-law partner 4,512,440 42.3 11,784,855 42.3
Single (never legally married) 2,985,020 28.0 7,816,045 28.0
Separated 319,805 3.0 698,245 2.5
Divorced 593,730 5.6 1,686,035 6.0
Widowed 613,880 5.8 1,584,525 5.7

Ontario – Types of private households

There were 4,887,505 private households4 in Ontario in 2011, a change of 7.3% from 2006. Of these, 28.7% of households were comprised of couples with children aged 24 and under at home, a change of -1.3% compared with five years earlier.

Table 11 Canada, Ontario – Distribution of households by household type, 2011 Census
Household type5 Ontario Canada
number % number %
Total - Private households 4,887,505 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Couple-family households with children6 1,402,420 28.7 3,524,915 26.5
Couple-family households without children7 1,408,120 28.8 3,935,540 29.5
Lone-parent family households8 535,825 11.0 1,375,450 10.3
One-person households 1,230,980 25.2 3,673,310 27.6
Multiple-family households9 128,660 2.6 268,060 2.0
Other households10 181,500 3.7 543,340 4.1

Ontario – Size of private households

The average household size in Ontario was 2.6 persons in 2011, compared to the Canadian average household size of 2.5 persons.

In Ontario, the proportion of total private households with only one person has increased over time, while the proportion of larger households (five or more persons) has decreased.

Chart I: Ontario – Size of private households, 1961 to 2011 Chart I description: Ontario – Size of private households
Table 12 Ontario – Proportion of total private households with one person and five or more persons, 1961 to 2011 censuses
Private household size 1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011
One person 9.1 11.0 13.2 17.0 20.6 21.1 21.8 22.7 23.5 24.3 25.2
Five or more persons 29.3 28.7 24.7 18.6 14.1 12.2 11.4 11.4 11.0 10.5 9.9

Ontario – Structural type of dwelling

In Ontario, 55.6% of private households lived in single-detached houses and 16.2% lived in apartments in buildings that have five or more storeys. The rest lived in other types of dwelling structures.

Table 13 Canada, Ontario – Distribution of private households by structural type of dwelling, 2011 Census
Structural type of dwelling Ontario Canada
number % number %
Total - Structural type of dwelling 4,887,510 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Single-detached house 2,718,880 55.6 7,329,150 55.0
Semi-detached house 279,470 5.7 646,240 4.9
Row house 415,230 8.5 791,600 5.9
Apartment, building that has five or more storeys 789,975 16.2 1,234,770 9.3
Apartment, building that has fewer than five storeys 498,160 10.2 2,397,555 18.0
Apartment, duplex 160,460 3.3 704,485 5.3
Other single-attached house11 9,535 0.2 33,310 0.3
Movable dwelling12 15,795 0.3 183,510 1.4

Language

Ontario – Mother tongue

Chart J: Ontario - Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home

Chart J description: Ontario - 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 Ontario, 68.2% of the population reported English only as mother tongue, 3.9% reported French only, and 25.7% reported only a non-official language, in 2011. In comparison, the national percentages were 56.9% for English only, 21.3% for French only and 19.8% for non-official languages only.

In 2011, 79.0% of the population spoke English only most often at home, 2.2% spoke only French, and 14.4% spoke only a non-official language. In comparison, the national percentages were 64.8% for English only, 20.6% for French only and 11.1% for only a non-official language.

Table 14 Ontario – Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home, 2011 Census
Selected language Mother tongue Language spoken most often at home
number % number %
Total 12,722,065 100.0 12,722,065 100.0
English 8,677,040 68.2 10,044,805 79.0
French 493,300 3.9 284,115 2.2
Non-official language 3,264,435 25.7 1,827,870 14.4
Aboriginal language 16,955 0.1 6,350 0.0
Non-Aboriginal language 3,247,480 25.5 1,821,515 14.3
Multiple responses 287,290 2.3 565,270 4.4
Table 15 Ontario – Mother-tongue retention, 2011 Census
Mother tongue Mother-tongue retention13
(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 99.4 98.8 0.7
French 73.6 53.8 19.9
Non-official language 81.8 61.2 20.7
Aboriginal language 73.4 35.2 38.2
Non-Aboriginal language 81.9 61.3 20.6

Ontario – Non-official languages

In Ontario, the three most common mother tongues were Italian (2.1%), Chinese, n.o.s. (1.6%) and Cantonese (1.5%), in 2011. In comparison, the most common mother tongues at the national level were Panjabi (Punjabi) (1.4%), Chinese, n.o.s. (1.3%) and Spanish (1.3%).

Table 16 Ontario – 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.
Italian 270,440 7.7 2.1
Chinese, n.o.s. 202,225 5.8 1.6
Cantonese 195,060 5.6 1.5
Spanish 190,410 5.4 1.5
Panjabi (Punjabi) 187,150 5.3 1.5
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) 165,105 4.7 1.3
Portuguese 157,635 4.5 1.2
Arabic 148,735 4.2 1.2
German 147,035 4.2 1.2
Urdu 144,930 4.1 1.1

Ontario – Bilingualism

Table 17 Ontario – 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 10.7 8.0 88.6 6.0
0 to 19 11.5 9.4 78.3 10.0
20 to 44 11.9 9.9 94.5 6.4
45 to 64 9.9 6.2 91.6 5.1
65 and over 8.0 4.1 83.2 3.3
Table 18 Ontario – Knowledge of official languages, 2011 Census
Knowledge of official languages Number Percentage
Total 12,722,065 100.0
English only 10,984,360 86.3
French only 42,980 0.3
English and French 1,395,805 11.0
Neither English nor French 298,920 2.3

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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