2006 Census Topic-based tabulations

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Topic-based tabulation: Visible Minority Groups (15), Generation Status (4), Age Groups (9) and Sex (3) for the Population 15 Years and Over of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 Census - 20% Sample Data

About this tabulation

General information

Catalogue number :97-562-XCB2006010
Release date :April 2, 2008
Topic :Ethnic origin and visible minorities
Data dimensions :

Note

Note: Non-permanent residents and the census universe

In the 2006 Census, non-permanent residents are defined as people from another country who, at the time of the census, held a Work or Study Permit, or who were refugee claimants, as well as family members living in Canada with them. In the 1991, 1996 and 2001 censuses, non-permanent residents also included persons who held a Minister's permit; this was discontinued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada prior to the 2006 Census.

From 1991 on, the Census of Population has enumerated both permanent and non-permanent residents of Canada. Prior to 1991, only permanent residents of Canada were included in the census. (The only exception to this occurred in 1941.) Non-permanent residents were considered foreign residents and were not enumerated.

Total population counts, as well as counts for all variables, are affected by this change in the census universe. Users should be especially careful when comparing data from 1991, 1996, 2001 or 2006 with data from previous censuses in geographic areas where there is a concentration of non-permanent residents.

Today in Canada, non-permanent residents make up a significant segment of the population, especially in several census metropolitan areas. Their presence can affect the demand for such government services as health care, schooling, employment programs and language training. The inclusion of non-permanent residents in the census facilitates comparisons with provincial and territorial statistics (marriages, divorces, births and deaths) which include this population. In addition, this inclusion of non-permanent residents brings Canadian practice closer to the United Nations (UN) recommendation that long-term residents (persons living in a country for one year or longer) be enumerated in the census.

Although every attempt has been made to enumerate non-permanent residents, factors such as language difficulties, the reluctance to complete a government form or to understand the need to participate may have affected the enumeration of this population.

For additional information, please refer to the 2006 Census Dictionary, catalogue number 92-566-XWE or 92-566-XPE.

For counts of the non-permanent resident population in 1991, 2001 and 2006, please refer to the 2006 Census table 97-557-XCB2006006.

Note: Population universe

The population universe of the 2006 Census includes the following groups:
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants with a usual place of residence in Canada;
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants who are abroad, either on a military base or attached to a diplomatic mission;
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants at sea or in port aboard merchant vessels under Canadian registry;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who are claiming refugee status and members of their families living with them;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold Study Permits and members of their families living with them;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold Work Permits and members of their families living with them.

For census purposes, the last three groups in this list are referred to as 'non-permanent residents'. For further information, refer to the variable Immigration: Non-permanent resident found in the 2006 Census Dictionary, catalogue number 92-566-XWE or 92-566-XPE.

Data table

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This table details visible minority groups , generation status , age groups and sex for the population 15 years and over in CanadaFootnote 1
Visible minority groups (15) Generation status (4)
Total - Generation status 1st generationFootnote 2 2nd generationFootnote 3 3rd generation or moreFootnote 4
Total - Population by visible minority groups 25,664,220 6,124,565 4,006,420 15,533,240
Total visible minority populationFootnote 5 3,922,700 3,273,070 551,740 97,890
Chinese 1,005,635 850,335 138,520 16,775
South AsianFootnote 6 957,645 820,180 132,190 5,275
Black 562,135 403,955 115,090 43,095
Filipino 320,915 283,560 35,760 1,595
Latin American 244,330 219,440 22,870 2,015
Southeast AsianFootnote 7 184,575 159,285 23,450 1,845
Arab 195,900 173,015 20,300 2,585
West AsianFootnote 8 125,855 120,710 4,580 565
Korean 114,615 104,640 9,190 790
Japanese 66,400 28,715 18,510 19,170
Visible minority, n.i.e.Footnote 9 57,115 44,965 11,005 1,150
Multiple visible minorityFootnote 10 87,565 64,260 20,270 3,035
Not a visible minorityFootnote 11 21,741,525 2,851,490 3,454,685 15,435,350

Footnotes

Footnote 1

Excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements.

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Footnote 2

Persons born outside Canada. For the most part, these are people who are now, or have ever been, landed immigrants in Canada. Also included in the first generation are a small number of people born outside Canada to parents who are Canadian citizens by birth. In addition, the first generation includes people who are non-permanent residents (defined as people from another country living in Canada on Work or Study Permits or as refugee claimants, and any family members living with them in Canada).

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Footnote 3

Persons born inside Canada with at least one parent born outside Canada. This includes (a) persons born in Canada with both parents born outside Canada and (b) persons born in Canada with one parent born in Canada and one parent born outside Canada (these persons may have grandparents born inside or outside Canada as well).

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Footnote 4

Persons born inside Canada with both parents born inside Canada (these persons may have grandparents born inside or outside Canada as well).

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Footnote 5

The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as 'persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour'.

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Footnote 6

For example, 'East Indian', 'Pakistani', 'Sri Lankan', etc.

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Footnote 7

For example, 'Vietnamese', 'Cambodian', 'Malaysian', 'Laotian', etc.

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Footnote 8

For example, 'Iranian', 'Afghan', etc.

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Footnote 9

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere'. Includes respondents who reported a write-in response such as 'Guyanese', 'West Indian', 'Kurd', 'Tibetan', 'Polynesian', 'Pacific Islander', etc.

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Footnote 10

Includes respondents who reported more than one visible minority group by checking two or more mark-in circles, e.g., 'Black' and 'South Asian'.

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Footnote 11

Includes respondents who reported 'Yes' to the Aboriginal identity question (Question 18) as well as respondents who were not considered to be members of a visible minority group.

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Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 97-562-XCB2006010.

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Footnotes

Footnote a

To access the comma separated values (CSV) file, use the conversion features available in most spreadsheet software, or use a free viewer, for example csview.

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Footnote b

To access the tab separated values (TAB) file, use the conversion features available in most spreadsheet software, or use a free viewer, for example AscToTab.

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Footnote c

To access the Beyond 20/20 (IVT) version, you need the Beyond 20/20 Table Browser, which may be downloaded below. These links download files directly from an external site and are not the responsibility of Statistics Canada.

Beyond 20/20 Browser for Windows operating systems (18.9 MB)
To install this product, run 'ProBrowser.exe'.

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Footnote d

XML (SDMX - ML) - Is a statistical data and metadata exchange standard for the electronic exchange of statistical information. Two extensible mark-up language (XML) files are provided in a compressed bundle.

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