Data tables, 2016 Census

Mother Tongue (187), Immigrant Status and Period of Immigration (11), Number of languages known (11), Age (12) and Sex (3) for the Population in Private Households of Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2016 Census - 25% Sample Data

Data table

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This table details mother tongue , immigrant status and period of immigration , number of languages known , age and sex for the population in private households in British Columbia / Colombie-Britannique
Data quality
Mother tongue (187) Immigrant status and period of immigration (11)
Total - Immigrant status and period of immigrationFootnote 2 Non-immigrantsFootnote 3 ImmigrantsFootnote 4 Before 1981 1981 to 1990 1991 to 2000 2001 to 2010 2001 to 2005 2006 to 2010 2011 to 2016Footnote 5 Non-permanent residentsFootnote 6
Total - Mother tongueFootnote 7 4,560,240 3,167,155 1,292,675 356,160 152,225 287,505 321,240 147,730 173,505 175,555 100,410
Single responses 4,460,595 3,114,335 1,248,765 348,110 147,350 277,605 307,780 142,040 165,740 167,915 97,500
Official languages 3,199,375 2,875,145 302,290 156,440 31,595 37,140 50,050 21,050 29,000 27,060 21,940
English 3,142,275 2,827,565 293,975 153,390 30,710 35,835 48,165 20,220 27,945 25,880 20,740
French 57,105 47,585 8,315 3,055 880 1,315 1,885 830 1,050 1,175 1,205
Non-official languages 1,261,220 239,185 946,470 191,670 115,750 240,465 257,735 120,990 136,740 140,860 75,560
Aboriginal languages 8,190 8,135 50 25 0 10 15 0 15 0 0
Non-Aboriginal languages 1,253,030 231,055 946,425 191,645 115,745 240,460 257,720 120,990 136,730 140,855 75,555
Afro-Asiatic languages 24,615 2,445 19,650 1,420 1,780 3,405 6,185 2,220 3,965 6,865 2,525
Berber languages 75 0 70 0 20 10 15 0 15 20 10
Kabyle 35 0 35 0 15 10 0 0 10 10 10
Berber languages, n.i.e. 40 0 40 0 10 10 10 0 10 10 0
Cushitic languages 1,650 220 1,395 10 185 290 370 145 225 535 30
Bilen 10 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Oromo 175 35 140 0 10 35 75 40 35 20 10
Somali 1,450 190 1,240 10 170 255 295 105 190 505 25
Cushitic languages, n.i.e. 10 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
Semitic languages 22,830 2,215 18,130 1,400 1,570 3,100 5,750 2,055 3,695 6,300 2,490
Amharic 1,405 100 1,260 15 185 370 525 255 270 165 50
Arabic 17,120 1,640 13,335 900 990 2,155 4,130 1,415 2,715 5,165 2,155
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic 600 55 535 25 25 160 170 20 150 165 10
Chaldean Neo-Aramaic 555 50 505 0 10 65 165 35 125 275 0
Harari 35 10 35 0 15 15 0 0 0 10 0
Hebrew 1,945 295 1,420 245 145 205 550 225 325 275 230
Maltese 240 10 225 205 15 10 0 10 0 0 0
Tigrigna 780 65 690 15 195 105 155 70 85 220 25
Semitic languages, n.i.e. 145 0 120 10 0 20 60 40 20 35 25
Afro-Asiatic languages, n.i.e. 65 10 55 0 0 0 40 10 25 10 0
Austro-Asiatic languages 28,475 6,495 21,015 3,145 7,970 5,530 2,750 1,145 1,605 1,620 960
Khmer (Cambodian) 1,510 260 1,235 65 795 120 135 35 100 120 15
Vietnamese 26,900 6,215 19,740 3,080 7,180 5,410 2,575 1,090 1,485 1,495 945
Austro-Asiatic languages, n.i.e 65 20 45 0 0 0 40 15 20 0 0
Austronesian languages 97,085 3,340 88,930 7,920 7,730 20,940 30,225 11,855 18,375 22,105 4,815
Bikol 415 25 380 35 35 55 180 45 135 65 15
Cebuano 3,935 75 3,740 220 205 720 1,375 480 895 1,225 120
Fijian 500 50 445 205 20 60 120 20 95 40 10
Hiligaynon 1,480 35 1,405 90 130 255 455 135 320 470 40
Ilocano 4,885 75 4,555 305 380 1,200 1,460 600 860 1,210 250
Malagasy 10 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Malay 4,000 180 3,270 420 350 780 1,095 520 580 620 545
Pampangan (Kapampangan, Pampango) 615 25 575 35 55 155 185 85 95 140 20
Pangasinan 340 0 315 60 0 65 120 65 55 65 20
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) 79,400 2,785 72,865 6,445 6,425 17,475 24,695 9,725 14,970 17,835 3,750
Waray-Waray 220 0 220 0 15 35 85 25 60 85 0
Austronesian languages, n.i.e. 1,280 85 1,155 105 110 140 460 160 305 340 45
Creole languages 945 10 895 130 95 105 385 175 210 185 40
Haitian Creole 35 10 30 0 0 0 30 0 25 0 0
Creole, n.o.s. 605 10 565 75 65 65 270 150 120 95 35
Creole languages, n.i.e. 305 0 300 55 25 35 85 25 60 95 0
Dravidian languages 7,560 665 5,910 295 400 1,300 2,075 970 1,105 1,840 980
Kannada 265 15 215 10 0 45 75 50 20 85 35
Malayalam 2,495 155 1,945 140 50 250 610 185 425 895 395
Tamil 3,480 425 2,905 115 335 880 1,090 540 550 490 145
Telugu 1,270 65 805 25 15 120 300 185 115 350 400
Dravidian languages, n.i.e. 50 10 40 0 0 10 10 10 0 20 10
Hmong-Mien languages 135 45 95 0 25 0 55 0 45 0 0
Indo-European languages 585,070 141,675 418,960 122,155 49,965 92,650 100,355 49,230 51,125 53,835 24,435
Albanian 1,285 150 1,090 10 25 435 500 360 145 115 40
Armenian 1,350 220 1,120 385 170 160 240 145 95 165 15
Balto-Slavic languages 81,930 19,865 59,310 13,130 8,965 17,710 13,705 7,845 5,860 5,810 2,760
Baltic languages 940 330 550 355 20 25 55 15 40 95 55
Latvian 525 175 350 250 10 15 15 10 10 60 0
Lithuanian 415 160 200 100 15 10 45 15 30 30 55
Slavic languages 80,995 19,535 58,765 12,775 8,945 17,685 13,645 7,830 5,815 5,715 2,700
Belarusan 95 20 75 20 10 25 10 0 10 10 0
Bosnian 1,320 90 1,215 105 15 930 90 60 25 85 20
Bulgarian 2,120 150 1,940 70 65 690 970 555 415 145 40
Croatian 7,520 2,145 5,215 3,450 245 1,110 265 155 105 135 160
Czech 5,930 675 4,980 2,505 1,305 480 325 185 140 365 280
Macedonian 305 40 240 40 25 40 110 80 35 20 25
Polish 16,560 2,990 13,295 2,500 6,050 3,325 985 505 485 430 275
Russian 25,270 5,660 18,350 945 355 5,485 8,425 4,745 3,675 3,140 1,265
Serbian 7,365 1,280 5,830 750 235 3,365 980 660 320 505 250
Serbo-Croatian 1,405 130 1,260 165 25 935 105 95 0 30 10
Slovak 3,315 520 2,630 645 505 580 630 440 195 265 160
Slovene (Slovenian) 1,195 225 935 770 20 50 40 15 25 50 35
Ukrainian 8,270 5,515 2,585 675 85 595 695 320 375 530 175
Slavic languages, n.i.e. 320 100 220 130 0 65 15 10 0 0 0
Celtic languages 420 50 360 285 30 20 20 25 10 0 10
Scottish Gaelic 175 35 140 125 10 0 0 10 0 0 0
Welsh 190 15 170 130 20 10 15 15 10 0 0
Celtic languages, n.i.e. 55 10 35 30 0 0 10 10 0 0 10
Germanic languages 100,420 27,965 69,895 48,875 5,425 5,955 6,395 2,930 3,465 3,245 2,555
Afrikaans 3,130 255 2,695 125 85 795 960 525 435 725 175
Danish 4,490 540 3,870 3,395 190 145 65 35 30 70 85
Dutch 20,125 3,200 16,510 13,075 1,085 715 1,170 535 635 460 415
Frisian 285 35 250 215 0 15 10 10 0 10 0
German 66,700 22,655 42,485 29,340 3,755 3,950 3,745 1,630 2,110 1,695 1,555
Icelandic 285 100 140 45 10 25 25 10 10 40 45
Norwegian 1,855 400 1,385 1,180 50 30 75 30 50 45 75
Swedish 2,690 520 1,990 1,165 190 220 270 105 165 140 185
Vlaams (Flemish) 425 50 355 195 20 20 60 45 15 60 15
Yiddish 340 190 140 105 0 10 10 0 0 0 10
Germanic languages, n.i.e. 90 20 70 20 20 15 15 10 10 0 0
Greek 6,150 2,365 3,680 2,895 280 175 175 70 110 155 100
Indo-Iranian languages 298,195 72,495 215,365 32,390 26,105 57,265 63,895 31,015 32,880 35,715 10,330
Indo-Aryan languages 251,635 68,500 173,950 31,450 21,450 45,775 49,085 23,640 25,445 26,185 9,185
Bengali 2,870 310 2,220 115 95 570 915 480 435 520 345
Gujarati 6,725 910 5,555 2,485 760 915 870 440 430 530 265
Hindi 26,860 4,845 20,550 4,735 3,230 4,605 4,970 2,455 2,525 3,015 1,465
Kashmiri 35 0 40 10 0 10 10 10 0 0 0
Konkani 170 0 175 20 10 65 50 25 30 30 0
Marathi 695 60 490 55 10 55 170 70 95 200 145
Nepali 1,085 70 935 10 10 85 525 145 380 305 80
Oriya (Odia) 60 0 60 10 0 10 15 15 0 20 10
Punjabi (Panjabi) 200,185 60,130 133,795 22,335 16,665 36,890 38,060 18,105 19,955 19,845 6,265
Sindhi 1,750 255 1,475 1,015 190 110 110 60 50 50 25
Sinhala (Sinhalese) 1,610 55 1,485 60 115 330 670 310 360 305 65
Urdu 9,585 1,880 7,180 605 370 2,135 2,710 1,520 1,185 1,365 530
Iranian languages 45,965 3,975 40,885 905 4,610 11,335 14,590 7,255 7,335 9,435 1,100
Kurdish 1,880 295 1,520 10 110 485 570 310 255 350 65
Pashto 1,070 230 825 20 40 220 330 220 105 220 10
Persian (Farsi) 43,020 3,455 38,540 880 4,465 10,635 13,695 6,725 6,970 8,870 1,020
Indo-Iranian languages, n.i.e. 590 15 530 35 35 150 215 115 100 90 40
Italic (Romance) languages 95,325 18,560 68,145 24,195 8,970 10,940 15,415 6,845 8,565 8,630 8,625
Catalan 145 10 90 25 10 0 10 0 0 55 50
Italian 22,670 7,635 14,485 12,665 480 375 410 160 250 555 555
Portuguese 16,945 2,895 11,040 6,655 910 815 1,455 555 905 1,205 3,010
Romanian 8,535 980 7,475 205 770 2,835 2,955 1,640 1,315 710 80
Spanish 46,945 7,015 35,010 4,610 6,805 6,915 10,585 4,495 6,090 6,095 4,925
Italic (Romance) languages, n.i.e. 80 25 50 40 10 0 0 0 0 10 0
Japanese 21,315 5,800 12,360 2,760 1,055 2,760 3,680 1,550 2,135 2,095 3,155
Kartvelian languages 75 0 65 0 0 10 35 20 20 20 15
Georgian 80 0 65 0 0 10 40 20 20 20 10
Korean 51,875 4,665 39,075 2,500 2,725 9,945 16,220 8,180 8,040 7,685 8,135
Mongolic languages 320 15 230 0 0 0 125 40 85 100 70
Mongolian 315 15 225 0 0 0 125 40 85 105 75
Niger-Congo languages 3,475 250 2,835 225 215 470 1,140 390 750 785 380
Akan (Twi) 425 45 335 70 55 90 75 30 45 45 35
Bamanankan 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Edo 65 0 65 0 0 10 45 15 35 10 0
Ewe 75 0 70 0 10 25 0 0 0 20 0
Fulah (Pular, Pulaar, Fulfulde) 55 30 30 0 0 10 0 10 0 15 0
Ga 35 0 30 0 10 10 0 0 0 0 0
Ganda 80 0 65 15 0 10 10 0 10 30 15
Igbo 195 0 150 10 10 15 75 30 45 40 40
Lingala 50 15 25 0 0 15 10 0 0 10 10
Rundi (Kirundi) 100 10 75 0 0 0 45 0 40 25 15
Kinyarwanda (Rwanda) 215 0 200 0 0 25 140 30 110 30 10
Shona 220 10 160 0 0 10 100 35 70 50 50
Swahili 785 40 680 85 65 105 215 45 170 210 60
Wolof 10 0 10 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0
Yoruba 385 25 295 10 15 40 85 40 50 145 70
Niger-Congo languages, n.i.e. 775 70 640 20 35 105 330 155 175 150 65
Nilo-Saharan languages 335 50 275 20 20 65 140 110 30 30 10
Dinka 55 10 45 0 0 10 25 25 0 0 0
Nilo-Saharan languages, n.i.e. 280 40 235 20 15 50 120 85 35 25 15
Sign languages 1,150 985 145 30 35 50 35 10 25 10 15
American Sign Language 435 405 20 0 0 0 20 0 15 0 10
Quebec Sign Language 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sign languages, n.i.e 710 580 125 25 35 50 15 10 10 0 10
Sino-Tibetan languages 408,640 60,470 319,410 44,045 41,570 100,985 90,800 43,355 47,450 42,015 28,755
Chinese languages 406,050 60,180 317,175 43,905 41,455 100,605 89,745 43,175 46,570 41,470 28,695
Cantonese 193,360 39,670 149,515 36,100 31,150 55,365 19,855 9,935 9,920 7,050 4,170
Hakka 2,300 195 2,075 650 535 465 325 140 180 105 30
Mandarin 185,275 18,450 143,875 2,680 6,250 37,335 65,230 31,135 34,095 32,380 22,945
Min Dong 155 10 145 45 30 35 15 10 15 20 10
Min Nan (Chaochow, Teochow, Fukien, Taiwanese) 10,805 565 10,085 1,375 1,835 4,255 1,955 850 1,110 665 160
Wu (Shanghainese) 4,560 305 4,015 425 620 1,440 995 470 525 550 235
Chinese, n.o.s. 9,395 985 7,295 2,640 1,045 1,680 1,290 615 675 635 1,120
Chinese languages, n.i.e. 200 0 165 0 0 35 70 15 50 60 30
Tibeto-Burman languages 2,585 290 2,235 140 110 375 1,060 180 885 545 60
Burmese 1,220 105 1,090 110 80 300 320 130 185 285 20
Karenic languages 855 145 705 0 0 10 615 0 615 80 0
Tibetan 335 25 295 25 30 50 50 25 25 155 15
Tibeto-Burman languages, n.i.e. 185 20 140 10 10 20 75 25 55 30 25
Tai-Kadai languages 4,165 275 3,350 585 660 545 1,025 490 530 540 540
Lao 1,160 135 1,025 455 390 120 40 30 10 15 10
Thai 2,990 135 2,315 125 260 420 980 455 530 525 540
Tai-Kadai languages, n.i.e 15 0 15 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0
Turkic languages 4,035 345 3,210 255 270 615 1,375 610 765 700 480
Azerbaijani 620 25 545 0 50 100 310 150 160 80 45
Turkish 3,025 280 2,360 250 210 485 915 390 525 495 385
Uyghur 100 15 80 0 0 0 45 20 20 35 15
Uzbek 95 0 85 0 0 0 45 35 10 40 0
Turkic languages, n.i.e. 195 15 150 0 10 30 65 15 50 50 30
Uralic languages 13,390 3,500 9,705 6,120 1,170 990 1,010 585 425 415 180
Estonian 690 235 455 355 20 50 15 10 10 15 0
Finnish 3,520 1,175 2,290 1,925 95 100 110 75 30 55 50
Hungarian 9,170 2,090 6,955 3,830 1,055 840 880 495 390 340 120
Uralic languages, n.i.e. 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other languages, n.i.e. 375 20 300 30 65 90 95 55 40 15 55
Multiple responses 99,640 52,825 43,915 8,045 4,875 9,900 13,455 5,690 7,765 7,640 2,905
English and French 9,575 8,880 615 170 90 85 195 85 110 65 80
English and non-official language 86,245 42,335 41,210 7,320 4,505 9,405 12,680 5,355 7,320 7,305 2,695
French and non-official language 1,895 480 1,340 365 205 265 340 135 210 170 70
English, French and non-official language 1,930 1,125 750 185 80 145 240 110 130 95 60

Symbol(s)

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not available for a specific reference period

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not applicable

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Symbol x

suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act

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too unreliable to be published

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Footnote(s)

Footnote 1

'Knowledge of official languages' refers to whether the person can conduct a conversation in English only, French only, in both or in neither language. For a child who has not yet learned to speak, this includes languages that the child is learning to speak at home.

'Knowledge of non-official languages' refers to whether the person can conduct a conversation in a language other than English or French. For a child who has not yet learned to speak, this includes languages that the child is learning to speak at home. The number of languages that can be reported may vary between surveys, depending on the objectives of the survey.

For more information on language variables, including information on their classifications, the questions from which they are derived, data quality and their comparability with other sources of data, please refer to the Languages Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2016.

Return to footnote 1 referrer

Footnote 2

Immigrant status refers to whether the person is a non-immigrant, an immigrant or a non-permanent resident.

Period of immigration refers to the period in which the immigrant first obtained landed immigrant or permanent resident status.

For more information on immigration variables, including information on their classifications, the questions from which they are derived, data quality and their comparability with other sources of data, please refer to the Place of Birth, Generation Status, Citizenship and Immigration Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2016.

Return to footnote 2 referrer

Footnote 3

'Non-immigrants' includes persons who are Canadian citizens by birth.

Return to footnote 3 referrer

Footnote 4

'Immigrants' includes persons who are, or who have ever been, landed immigrants or permanent residents. Such persons have been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Immigrants who have obtained Canadian citizenship by naturalization are included in this category. In the 2016 Census of Population, 'Immigrants' includes immigrants who landed in Canada on or prior to May 10, 2016.

Return to footnote 4 referrer

Footnote 5

Includes immigrants who landed in Canada on or prior to May 10, 2016.

Return to footnote 5 referrer

Footnote 6

'Non-permanent residents' includes persons from another country who have a work or study permit or who are refugee claimants, and their family members sharing the same permit and living in Canada with them.

Return to footnote 6 referrer

Footnote 7

n.i.e. = not included elsewhere
n.o.s. = not otherwise specified

Return to footnote 7 referrer

Data quality note(s) – British Columbia / Colombie-Britannique

  • Incomplete enumeration flag
    Excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements.
  • Long-form data quality flag
    Global non-response rate (GNR), long-form census questionnaire: 6.1%.
  • Long-form income data quality flag
    Data quality index showing a long-form income non-response rate higher than or equal to 10%, but lower than 20%.

Source: Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-400-X2016193.

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