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Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census

Census metropolitan area of Victoria, British Columbia 1

Map of Victoria, CMA (shaded in green), British Columbia

Map of Victoria

Interactive version of map

Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A: Victoria, CMA - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A description: Victoria, CMA - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Prov. rank
2
Nat. rank
15

In 2011, the population of Victoria census metropolitan area (CMA) was 344,615, representing a percentage change of 4.4% from 2006. This compares to the national growth of 5.9% and to the average growth among all CMAs of 7.4%.

In Victoria, the land area is 696.15 square kilometres with a population density of 495.0 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. The land area of all CMAs is 92,648.98 square kilometres with 249.58 persons per square kilometre.

In total, there were 153,328 private dwellings occupied by usual residents in Victoria in 2011. The change in private dwellings occupied by usual residents from 2006 was 5.5%. For Canada as a whole, the number of private dwellings occupied by usual residents increased 7.1%.

Population and dwelling counts

Census subdivisions in the Victoria CMA

Table 1 Victoria CMA – Census subdivisions, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name Type Population
2011 2006 % change
Saanich DM 109,752 108,265 1.4
Victoria CY 80,017 78,057 2.5
Langford CY 29,228 22,459 30.1
Oak Bay DM 18,015 17,908 0.6
Esquimalt DM 16,209 16,840 -3.7
Colwood CY 16,093 14,687 9.6
Central Saanich DM 15,936 15,745 1.2
Sooke DM 11,435 9,699 A 17.9
Sidney T 11,178 11,315 -1.2
North Saanich DM 11,089 10,823 2.5
View Royal T 9,381 8,768 7.0
Metchosin DM 4,803 4,795 0.2
Capital H (Part 1) RDA 4,173 4,250 -1.8
Highlands DM 2,120 1,903 11.4
East Saanich 2 IRI 1,709 1,637 4.4
New Songhees 1A IRI 1,678 1,643 2.1
South Saanich 1 IRI 818 571 43.3
Becher Bay 1 IRI 324 140 131.4
Cole Bay 3 IRI 322 258 24.8
T'Sou-ke IRI 219 214 A 2.3
Union Bay 4 IRI 116 111 4.5
Esquimalt  IRI

Census metropolitan areas (CMAs) or census agglomerations (CAs) in British Columbia

Table 2 British Columbia – Metropolitan areas, population rank and population change, 2006 to 2011
CMA or CA name Type Population Rank
2011 2006 % change Nat. Prov.
Vancouver CMA 2,313,328 2,116,581 9.3 3 1
Victoria † CMA 344,615 330,088 4.4 15 2
Kelowna CMA 179,839 162,276 10.8 22 3
Abbotsford - Mission CMA 170,191 159,020 7.0 23 4
Kamloops CA 98,754 92,797 A 6.4 37 5
Nanaimo CA 98,021 92,361 6.1 38 6
Chilliwack CA 92,308 82,465 A 11.9 42 7
Prince George CA 84,232 83,225 1.2 46 8
Vernon CA 58,584 55,418 5.7 56 9
Courtenay CA 55,213 51,383 A 7.5 58 10
Duncan CA 43,252 41,387 4.5 68 11
Penticton CA 42,361 41,303 A 2.6 71 12
Campbell River CA 36,096 34,707 A 4.0 77 13
Parksville CA 27,822 26,518 4.9 92 14
Fort St. John CA 26,380 25,136 4.9 96 15
Port Alberni CA 25,465 25,343 A 0.5 99 16
Cranbrook CA 25,037 24,138 3.7 100 17
Quesnel CA 22,096 21,049 A 5.0 104 18
Williams Lake CA 18,490 18,760 -1.4 110 19
Salmon Arm CA 17,683 16,205 9.1 114 20
Squamish CA 17,479 15,256 14.6 116 21
Powell River CA 16,689 16,537 0.9 119 22
Terrace CA 15,569 15,420 A 1.0 124 23
Prince Rupert CA 13,052 13,392 -2.5 131 24
Dawson Creek CA 11,583 10,994 5.4 145 25

Age and sex

Victoria – Age distribution

Chart C: Victoria - Population by broad age groups

Chart C description: Victoria - Population by broad age groups

Table 3 Victoria – Age distributions by broad age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
0 to 14 13.1% 13.9% 12.4%
15 to 64 68.5% 69.4% 67.6%
65 and over 18.4% 16.7% 20.0%

In 2011, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in Victoria was 18.4%, compared with a national percentage of 14.8%. The percentage of the working age population (15 to 64) was 68.5% and the percentage of children aged 0 to 14 was 13.1%. 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.

Victoria – Population by broad age groups and sex

Table 4 Victoria – Population by broad age groups and 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 344,615 330,085 14,530 4.4
0 to 14 45,190 46,465 -1,275 -2.7
15 to 64 235,985 224,785 11,200 5.0
65 and over 63,440 58,840 4,600 7.8
Males
Total 165,505 157,285 8,220 5.2
0 to 14 22,990 23,575 -585 -2.5
15 to 64 114,865 108,895 5,970 5.5
65 and over 27,655 24,815 2,840 11.4
Females
Total 179,105 172,800 6,305 3.6
0 to 14 22,200 22,895 -695 -3.0
15 to 64 121,125 115,880 5,245 4.5
65 and over 35,780 34,020 1,760 5.2

Victoria – Population by five-year age groups and sex

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

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

Table 5 Victoria – Population by five-year age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
Total - Age groups 344,615 165,505 179,105
0 to 4 years 14,775 7,555 7,215
5 to 9 years 14,655 7,490 7,165
10 to 14 years 15,760 7,945 7,820
15 to 19 years 19,065 9,760 9,305
20 to 24 years 23,470 11,515 11,955
25 to 29 years 23,625 11,840 11,785
30 to 34 years 21,575 10,800 10,775
35 to 39 years 20,430 10,060 10,375
40 to 44 years 22,395 10,995 11,400
45 to 49 years 25,750 12,420 13,330
50 to 54 years 27,370 12,800 14,570
55 to 59 years 26,970 12,625 14,345
60 to 64 years 25,330 12,045 13,280
65 to 69 years 18,030 8,675 9,350
70 to 74 years 12,965 6,100 6,860
75 to 79 years 11,175 5,050 6,125
80 to 84 years 9,575 3,920 5,660
85 to 89 years 7,335 2,680 4,660
90 to 94 years 3,395 1,020 2,380
95 to 99 years 840 180 660
100 years and over 120 20 95
Median age 44.2 42.5 45.7

Victoria – Median age2 of the population

Chart E: Canada, British Columbia and Victoria - Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses

Chart E description: Canada, British Columbia and Victoria - Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses

The median age in Victoria was 44.2 years. In comparison, the median age of British Columbia was 41.9 years.

Table 6 Canada, British Columbia and Victoria – Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses
  Median age
2006 2011
Canada 39.5 40.6
British Columbia 40.8 41.9
Victoria 43.1 44.2

Families and households

In 2011, the number of census families3 in Victoria was 95,420, which represents a change of 3.8% from 2006. This compares to a growth rate for Canada of 5.5% over the same period.


In Victoria, 68.9% of census families were married couples in 2011, while 15.7% were common-law-couples and 15.3% were lone-parent families.

Chart F: Victoria - Census families by family structure

Chart F description: Victoria - Census families by family structure

Victoria – Family structure

Table 7 Canada, British Columbia, Victoria – 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
Victoria † 95,420 65,770 68.9 15,020 15.7 14,635 15.3 3.8

Victoria – Presence of children within couple families

Chart G: Victoria - Presence of children within couple families
Married couples Common-law-couples
with children without children with children without children
26,795 (33.2%) 38,975 (48.2%) 4,240 ( 5.2%) 10,780 (13.3%)

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

Among couples (married and common-law) in the census metropolitan area of Victoria, 38.4% 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 census metropolitan area of Victoria, 86.5% were intact families, that is, in which all children were the biological or adopted children of both parents, while 13.5% were stepfamilies, in which there was 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 were stepfamilies.

Victoria – Marital status

Chart H: Victoria - Marital status

Chart H description: Victoria - Marital status

In Victoria, 55.3% of the total population aged 15 and over were either married (45.2%) or living with a common-law partner (10.1%).

The remaining 44.7% 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 8 Canada, British Columbia, Victoria – Population 15 years and older by marital status, 2011 Census
Marital status Victoria British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Population 15 years and over 299,425 100.0 3,722,690 100.0 27,869,345 100.0
Married or living with a common-law partner 165,510 55.3 2,154,575 57.9 16,084,490 57.7
Married (and not separated) 135,350 45.2 1,832,605 49.2 12,941,965 46.4
Living common-law 30,155 10.1 321,965 8.6 3,142,525 11.3
Not married and not living with a common-law partner 133,920 44.7 1,568,120 42.1 11,784,855 42.3
Single (never legally married) 81,600 27.3 1,014,270 27.2 7,816,045 28.0
Separated 8,210 2.7 102,035 2.7 698,245 2.5
Divorced 25,055 8.4 246,515 6.6 1,686,035 6.0
Widowed 19,050 6.4 205,300 5.5 1,584,525 5.7

Victoria – Types of private households

There were 153,330 private households4 in Victoria in 2011, a change of 5.4% from 2006. Of these, 19.5% of households were comprised of couples with children aged 24 and under at home, a change of -3.3% compared with five years earlier.

Table 9 Canada, British Columbia, Victoria – Distribution of households by household type, 2011 Census
Household type5 Victoria British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Private households 153,330 100.0 1,764,635 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Couple-family households with children
aged 24 and under at home6		 29,835 19.5 431,135 24.4 3,524,915 26.5
Couple-family households without children
aged 24 and under at home7		 47,220 30.8 532,995 30.2 3,935,540 29.5
Lone-parent family households8 13,540 8.8 168,530 9.6 1,375,450 10.3
One-person households 51,405 33.5 498,925 28.3 3,673,310 27.6
Multiple-family households9 2,370 1.5 50,410 2.9 268,060 2.0
Other households10 8,955 5.8 82,640 4.7 543,340 4.1

Victoria – Structural type of dwelling

In Victoria, 41.8% of private households lived in single-detached houses and 5.7% lived in apartments in buildings that have five or more storeys. The rest lived in other types of dwelling structures.

Table 10 Canada, British Columbia, Victoria – Distribution of private households by structural type of dwelling, 2011 Census
Structural type of dwelling Victoria British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Structural type of dwelling 153,330 100.0 1,764,640 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Single-detached house 64,100 41.8 842,120 47.7 7,329,150 55.0
Semi-detached house 5,835 3.8 52,825 3.0 646,240 4.9
Row house 9,550 6.2 130,370 7.4 791,600 5.9
Apartment, building that has five or more storeys 8,710 5.7 143,970 8.2 1,234,770 9.3
Apartment, building that has fewer than five storeys 41,175 26.9 361,150 20.5 2,397,555 18.0
Apartment, duplex 21,325 13.9 184,355 10.4 704,485 5.3
Other single-attached house11 270 0.2 2,885 0.2 33,310 0.3
Movable dwelling12 2,365 1.5 46,960 2.7 183,510 1.4

Language

Victoria – Mother tongue

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

Chart J description: Victoria - 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 Victoria, 84.8% of the population reported English only as mother tongue, 1.7% reported French only, and 12.3% reported only a non-official language, 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, 92.9% of the population spoke only English most often at home, 0.5% spoke only French and 4.9% spoke only a non-official language. In comparison, the provincial / territorial percentages were 80.5% for English only, 0.4% for French only and 15.4% for only a non-official language.

Table 11 Victoria – Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home, 2011 Census
Selected languages Mother tongue Language spoken most often at home
number % number %
Total 339,725 100.0 339,725 100.0
English 288,235 84.8 315,515 92.9
French 5,735 1.7 1,730 0.5
Non-official language 41,670 12.3 16,585 4.9
Multiple responses 4,085 1.2 5,900 1.7
Table 12 Victoria – 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 99.8 99.7 0.2
French 53.6 28.2 25.4
Non-official language 69.2 44.4 24.8

Victoria – Non-official languages

In Victoria, the three most common mother tongues were German (1.4%), Chinese, n.o.s. (1.3%) and Panjabi (Punjabi) (1.2%), 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 13 Victoria – 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.
German 4,700 10.5 1.4
Chinese, n.o.s. 4,285 9.6 1.3
Panjabi (Punjabi) 4,085 9.1 1.2
Cantonese 3,100 6.9 0.9
Spanish 2,690 6.0 0.8
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) 2,480 5.5 0.7
Dutch 2,130 4.7 0.6
Mandarin 2,020 4.5 0.6
Portuguese 1,360 3.0 0.4
Korean 1,325 3.0 0.4

Victoria – Bilingualism

Table 14 Victoria – 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 9.5 8.3 88.9 6.8
0 to 19 11.7 11.3 85.4 8.7
20 to 44 11.0 10.0 92.6 6.3
45 to 64 8.1 6.3 89.8 6.9
65 and over 7.0 5.2 83.3 6.5
Table 15 Victoria – Knowledge of official languages, 2011 Census
Knowledge of official languages Number Percentage
Total 339,725 100.0
English only 303,850 89.4
French only 185 0.1
English and French 33,060 9.7
Neither English nor French 2,635 0.8

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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