Focus on Geography Series, 2016 Census

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Province of British Columbia

Data quality

Data quality note(s): Province of British Columbia

  • Excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements.
  • Global non-response rate (GNR), short-form census questionnaire: 4.9%.

Population change (in percentage), provinces and territories, 2006 to 2011 and 2011 to 2016

Figure 1.1 description Long description for Figure 1.1 Population change (in percentage), provinces and territories, 2006 to 2011 and 2011 to 2016

  • In 2016, the enumerated population of British Columbia was 4,648,055 which represents a change of 5.6% from 2011. This growth was higher than the national rate of 5.0%.
  • In 2016, there were 1,881,969 private dwellings occupied in British Columbia in 2016 which represent a change of 6.6% from 2011. This growth was higher than the national rate of 5.6%.
  • The land area of British Columbia is 922,503.01 square kilometres and the population density was 5.0 people per square kilometre.

Figure 1.2 Population in the last 145 years, British Columbia

Figure 1.2 description Long description for Figure 1.2 Population in the last 145 years, British Columbia

Figure 1.3 Population change (in percentage) in the last 145 years, British Columbia

Figure 1.3 Description Long description for Figure 1.3 Population change (in percentage) in the last 145 years, British Columbia

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

In 2016, 88.4% of the population of British Columbia lived inside a census metropolitan area (CMA) or census agglomeration (CA). That represents 4,108,128 persons. This was higher than the national rate of 83.2%.

The number of persons living outside a census metropolitan area (CMA) or a census agglomeration (CA) was 539,927, which accounts for 11.6% of the population. This was lower than the national rate of 16.8%.

Figure 1.4 description Long description for Figure 1.4 British Columbia – Census metropolitan areas (CMAs), census agglomerations (CAs) and regions outside CMAs and CAs

Population rank and population change, 2011 to 2016 for CMAs or CAs in British Columbia

Population rank and population change, 2011 to 2016 for CMAs or CAs in British Columbia
CMA or CA name Type Population Rank
2016 2011 % change Nat. Prov.
Vancouver Vancouver - Census metropolitan area CMA 2,463,431 2,313,328 6.5 3 1
Victoria Victoria - Census metropolitan area CMA 367,770 344,580revised r 6.7 15 2
Kelowna Kelowna - Census metropolitan area CMA 194,882 179,839 8.4 22 3
Abbotsford - Mission Abbotsford - Mission - Census metropolitan area CMA 180,518 170,191 6.1 23 4
Nanaimo Nanaimo - Census agglomeration CA 104,936 98,021 7.1 35 5
Kamloops Kamloops - Census agglomeration CA 103,811 98,754 5.1 36 6
Chilliwack Chilliwack - Census agglomeration CA 101,512 93,882revised r 8.1 40 7
Prince George Prince George - Census agglomeration CA 86,622 84,232 2.8 45 8
Vernon Vernon - Census agglomeration CA 61,334 58,584 4.7 55 9
Courtenay Courtenay - Census agglomeration CA 54,157 51,787revised r 4.6 61 10
Duncan Duncan - Census agglomeration CA 44,451 43,252 2.8 66 11
Penticton Penticton - Census agglomeration CA 43,432 42,361 2.5 68 12
Campbell River Campbell River - Census agglomeration CA 37,861 36,096 4.9 75 13
Parksville Parksville - Census agglomeration CA 28,922 27,822 4.0 90 14
Fort St. John Fort St. John - Census agglomeration CA 28,396 26,380 7.6 95 15
Cranbrook Cranbrook - Census agglomeration CA 26,083 25,037 4.2 101 16
Port Alberni Port Alberni - Census agglomeration CA 25,112 25,465 -1.4 102 17
Quesnel Quesnel - Census agglomeration CA 23,146 23,566revised r -1.8 106 18
Squamish Squamish - Census agglomeration CA 19,893 17,479 13.8 109 19
Nelson Nelson - Census agglomeration CA 18,307 17,987revised r 1.8 116 20
Williams Lake Williams Lake - Census agglomeration CA 18,277 18,490 -1.2 117 21
Salmon Arm Salmon Arm - Census agglomeration CA 17,904 17,683 1.2 119 22
Powell River Powell River - Census agglomeration CA 16,783 16,689 0.6 121 23
Terrace Terrace - Census agglomeration CA 15,723 15,569 1.0 128 24
Prince Rupert Prince Rupert - Census agglomeration CA 12,687 13,052 -2.8 146 25
Dawson Creek Dawson Creek - Census agglomeration CA 12,178 11,583 5.1 148 26

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

Table 2 British Columbia – Census subdivisions, with 5,000-plus population with the highest population growth, population change, 2011 to 2016
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2016 2011 % change
Tsinstikeptum 9 Census subdivision - Tsinstikeptum 9, Indian reserve IRI 7,612 5,872 revised r 29.6
Greater Vancouver A Census subdivision - Greater Vancouver A, Regional district electoral area RDA 16,133 12,988 revised r 24.2
Langford Census subdivision - Langford, City CY 35,342 29,228 20.9
Whistler Census subdivision - Whistler, District municipality DM 11,854 9,824 20.7
Fernie Census subdivision - Fernie, City CY 5,249 4,448 18.0

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

Table 3 British Columbia – Census subdivisions, with 5,000-plus population with the lowest population growth, population change, 2011 to 2016
Census subdivision (CSD) name CSD type Population
2016 2011 % change
Bulkley-Nechako A Census subdivision - Bulkley-Nechako A, Regional district electoral area RDA 5,256 5,391 -2.5
Kitimat Census subdivision - Kitimat, District municipality DM 8,131 8,335 -2.4
Prince Rupert Census subdivision - Prince Rupert, City CY 12,220 12,508 -2.3
Quesnel Census subdivision - Quesnel, City CY 9,879 10,007 -1.3
Williams Lake Census subdivision - Williams Lake, City CY 10,753 10,832 -0.7

Symbols:

···
not applicable
··
incompletely enumerated Indian reserve or Indian settlement
r
revised
E
use with caution

Source:

Statistics Canada. 2017. Focus on Geography Series, 2016 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-404-X2016001. Ottawa, Ontario. Data products, 2016 Census.

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