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Focus on Geography Series, 2011 Census

Census agglomeration of Courtenay, British Columbia 1

Map of Courtenay, CA (shaded in green), British Columbia

Map of Courtenay

Interactive version of map

Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A: Courtenay, CA - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Chart A description: Courtenay, CA - Population, 2011 and 2006 censuses

Prov. rank
10
Nat. rank
58

In 2011, the population of Courtenay census agglomeration (CA) was 55,213, representing a percentage change of 7.5% from 2006. This compares to the national growth of 5.9% and to the average growth among all CAs of 4.2%.

In Courtenay, the land area is 625.13 square kilometres with a population density of 88.3 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 CAs is 232,264.62 square kilometres with 18.56 persons per square kilometre.

In total, there were 24,512 private dwellings occupied by usual residents in Courtenay in 2011. The change in private dwellings occupied by usual residents from 2006 was 9.6%. 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 Courtenay CA

Table 1 Courtenay CA – Census subdivisions, population change, 2006 to 2011
Census subdivision (CSD) name Type Population
2011 2006 % change
Courtenay CY 24,099 22,021 A 9.4
Comox T 13,627 12,385 A 10.0
Comox Valley B (Lazo North) RDA 6,939 6,970 A -0.4
Comox Valley A RDA 6,899 6,973 A -1.1
Cumberland VL 3,398 2,762 23.0
Comox 1 IRI 251 272 -7.7

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

Courtenay – Age distribution

Table 3 Courtenay – Age distributions by broad age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
0 to 14 14.2% 15.2% 13.4%
15 to 64 63.4% 63.0% 63.8%
65 and over 22.3% 21.8% 22.8%

In 2011, the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in Courtenay was 22.3%, compared with a national percentage of 14.8%. The percentage of the working age population (15 to 64) was 63.4% and the percentage of children aged 0 to 14 was 14.2%. 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.

Courtenay – Population by broad age groups and sex

Table 4 Courtenay – 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 55,215 51,380 3,835 7.5
0 to 14 7,865 8,185 -320 -3.9
15 to 64 35,025 33,375 1,650 4.9
65 and over 12,320 9,820 2,500 25.5
Males
Total 26,475 24,710 1,765 7.1
0 to 14 4,020 4,175 -155 -3.7
15 to 64 16,685 15,990 695 4.3
65 and over 5,765 4,545 1,220 26.8
Females
Total 28,735 26,670 2,065 7.7
0 to 14 3,845 4,015 -170 -4.2
15 to 64 18,340 17,385 955 5.5
65 and over 6,555 5,270 1,285 24.4

Courtenay – Population by five-year age groups and sex

Table 5 Courtenay – Population by five-year age groups and sex, 2011 Census
Age groups Both sexes Males Females
Total - Age groups 55,215 26,475 28,735
0 to 4 years 2,405 1,205 1,200
5 to 9 years 2,580 1,365 1,210
10 to 14 years 2,890 1,450 1,435
15 to 19 years 3,215 1,605 1,610
20 to 24 years 2,455 1,260 1,200
25 to 29 years 2,550 1,240 1,310
30 to 34 years 2,590 1,275 1,310
35 to 39 years 2,910 1,335 1,570
40 to 44 years 3,250 1,515 1,730
45 to 49 years 4,265 2,010 2,260
50 to 54 years 4,525 2,110 2,405
55 to 59 years 4,550 2,060 2,490
60 to 64 years 4,710 2,260 2,450
65 to 69 years 3,830 1,855 1,975
70 to 74 years 2,900 1,430 1,470
75 to 79 years 2,355 1,170 1,190
80 to 84 years 1,650 740 910
85 to 89 years 1,080 415 670
90 to 94 years 415 125 295
95 to 99 years 75 30 50
100 years and over 10 0 5
Median age 48.3 47.6 49.0

Courtenay – Median age2 of the population

The median age in Courtenay was 48.3 years. In comparison, the median age of British Columbia was 41.9 years.

Table 6 Canada, British Columbia and Courtenay – Median age, 2006 and 2011 censuses
  Median age
2006 2011
Canada 39.5 40.6
British Columbia 40.8 41.9
Courtenay 45.3 48.3

Families and households

In 2011, the number of census families3 in Courtenay was 16,515, which represents a change of 7.3% from 2006. This compares to a growth rate for Canada of 5.5% over the same period.


In Courtenay, 69.6% of census families were married couples in 2011, while 15.1% were common-law-couples and 15.3% were lone-parent families.

Courtenay – Family structure

Table 7 Canada, British Columbia, Courtenay – 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
Courtenay 16,515 11,495 69.6 2,495 15.1 2,520 15.3 7.3

Courtenay – Presence of children within couple families

Chart G: Courtenay - Presence of children within couple families
Married couples Common-law-couples
with children without children with children without children
3,890 (27.8%) 7,605 (54.4%) 900 ( 6.4%) 1,595 (11.4%)

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

Among couples (married and common-law) in the census agglomeration of Courtenay, 34.3% 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 census agglomeration of Courtenay, 83.7% were intact families, that is, in which all children were the biological or adopted children of both parents, while 16.3% 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.

Courtenay – Marital status

In Courtenay, 60.3% of the total population aged 15 and over were either married (49.7%) or living with a common-law partner (10.6%).

The remaining 39.7% 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, Courtenay – Population 15 years and older by marital status, 2011 Census
Marital status Courtenay British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Population 15 years and over 47,345 100.0 3,722,690 100.0 27,869,345 100.0
Married or living with a common-law partner 28,545 60.3 2,154,575 57.9 16,084,490 57.7
Married (and not separated) 23,515 49.7 1,832,605 49.2 12,941,965 46.4
Living common-law 5,025 10.6 321,965 8.6 3,142,525 11.3
Not married and not living with a common-law partner 18,805 39.7 1,568,120 42.1 11,784,855 42.3
Single (never legally married) 10,125 21.4 1,014,270 27.2 7,816,045 28.0
Separated 1,510 3.2 102,035 2.7 698,245 2.5
Divorced 3,980 8.4 246,515 6.6 1,686,035 6.0
Widowed 3,185 6.7 205,300 5.5 1,584,525 5.7

Courtenay – Types of private households

There were 24,515 private households4 in Courtenay in 2011, a change of 9.6% from 2006. Of these, 19.2% of households were comprised of couples with children aged 24 and under at home, a change of -2.0% compared with five years earlier.

Table 9 Canada, British Columbia, Courtenay – Distribution of households by household type, 2011 Census
Household type5 Courtenay British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Private households 24,515 100.0 1,764,635 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Couple-family households with children
aged 24 and under at home6
4,705 19.2 431,135 24.4 3,524,915 26.5
Couple-family households without children
aged 24 and under at home7
8,950 36.5 532,995 30.2 3,935,540 29.5
Lone-parent family households8 2,365 9.6 168,530 9.6 1,375,450 10.3
One-person households 7,240 29.5 498,925 28.3 3,673,310 27.6
Multiple-family households9 240 1.0 50,410 2.9 268,060 2.0
Other households10 1,005 4.1 82,640 4.7 543,340 4.1

Courtenay – Structural type of dwelling

In Courtenay, 66.5% of private households lived in single-detached houses and 0.0% 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, Courtenay – Distribution of private households by structural type of dwelling, 2011 Census
Structural type of dwelling Courtenay British Columbia Canada
number % number % number %
Total - Structural type of dwelling 24,510 100.0 1,764,640 100.0 13,320,615 100.0
Single-detached house 16,310 66.5 842,120 47.7 7,329,150 55.0
Semi-detached house 2,260 9.2 52,825 3.0 646,240 4.9
Row house 1,390 5.7 130,370 7.4 791,600 5.9
Apartment, building that has five or more storeys 5 0.0 143,970 8.2 1,234,770 9.3
Apartment, building that has fewer than five storeys 3,015 12.3 361,150 20.5 2,397,555 18.0
Apartment, duplex 525 2.1 184,355 10.4 704,485 5.3
Other single-attached house11 25 0.1 2,885 0.2 33,310 0.3
Movable dwelling12 975 4.0 46,960 2.7 183,510 1.4

Language

Courtenay – Mother tongue

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

Chart J description: Courtenay - 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 Courtenay, 90.9% of the population reported English only as mother tongue, 2.4% reported French only, and 6.1% 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, 96.9% of the population spoke only English most often at home, 0.8% spoke only French and 1.6% 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 Courtenay – Mother tongue and language spoken most often at home, 2011 Census
Selected languages Mother tongue Language spoken most often at home
number % number %
Total 54,785 100.0 54,790 100.0
English 49,790 90.9 53,105 96.9
French 1,310 2.4 425 0.8
Non-official language 3,325 6.1 860 1.6
Multiple responses 365 0.7 400 0.7
Table 12 Courtenay – 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 99.9 99.8 0.1
French 54.4 29.5 24.8
Non-official language 54.0 29.9 24.1

Courtenay – Non-official languages

In Courtenay, the three most common mother tongues were German (1.7%), Dutch (0.6%) and Spanish (0.4%), 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 Courtenay – 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 920 26.1 1.7
Dutch 340 9.6 0.6
Spanish 195 5.5 0.4
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) 165 4.7 0.3
Chinese, n.o.s. 155 4.4 0.3

Courtenay – Bilingualism

Table 14 Courtenay – 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 8.8 6.8 88.5 6.5
0 to 19 11.8 11.1 87.5 6.5
20 to 44 9.8 7.8 91.2 8.1
45 to 64 8.0 5.3 90.7 8.6
65 and over 5.9 3.7 84.1 3.8
Table 15 Courtenay – Knowledge of official languages, 2011 Census
Knowledge of official languages Number Percentage
Total 54,785 100.0
English only 49,680 90.7
French only 35 0.1
English and French 4,935 9.0
Neither English nor French 135 0.2

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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