Dictionary, Census of Population, 2016
Visible minorityDictionary, Census of Population, 2016
Visible minority

Definition

'Visible minority' refers to whether a person belongs to a visible minority group as defined by the Employment Equity Act and, if so, the visible minority group to which the person belongs. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as "persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour". The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Arab, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean and Japanese.

Statistical unit(s)

Person

Classification(s)

Visible minority

Reported in

2016 (25% sample); 2011^{Note 1} (30% sample); 2006, 2001, and 1996 (20% sample).

Reported for

Population in private households

Question number(s)

Derived variable: Questions 19 and 18

Responses

The visible minority variable is derived from information collected in Question 19: population group and Question 18: Aboriginal group. Persons who reported 'Yes, First Nations (North American Indian),' 'Yes, Métis' or 'Yes, Inuk (Inuit)' to Question 18 (Aboriginal group) were not asked the population group question but are included in the 'Not a visible minority' category in the visible minority variable, along with persons reporting other selected groups such as 'White.' All other respondents are classified according to their population group as reported in Question 19.

In Question 19: population group, respondents were asked to use one or more of the mark-in circles provided to indicate their population group(s). The following mark-in circles were provided on the questionnaire: White, South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Arab, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean and Japanese. A write-in space was also provided for respondents who wanted to specify a population group not included in the list of mark-in circles.

For more information on the visible minority variable, including information on its classification, the questions from which it is derived, data quality and its comparability with other sources of data, refer to the Visible Minority and Population Group Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2016.

Remarks

The population group question is also used to derive the population group variable. For information on the population group variable, refer to the definition population group.

For more information on the population group variable, including information on its classification, the questions from which it is derived, data quality and its comparability with other sources of data, refer to the Visible Minority and Population Group Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2016.

Note