Now that Statistics Canada has completed their release schedule for the 2006 Canadian Census, what is next?

“The highlights of the 2006 Census show that Canada is ageing, becoming increasingly diverse and experiencing increasing income inequality,” says Norris. “All of these trends have important implications for businesses catering to their changing customers and to a government concerned with addressing the needs of its population.”

Among the highlights:

• The population grew by 5.4 percent to 31.6 million people—the fastest growth rate of any member of the G8 group of industrialized nations
• Immigration fueled two-thirds of Canada’s population growth, with one in five now foreign-born—the highest proportion in the population since 1931
• Many of these newcomers migrated from Asia and Middle East—as opposed to previous immigrants who came from Europe—and Canada is now home to 5 million visible minorities
• Women are now more highly educated than men, with 33 percent of women aged 25 to 34 having a university degree compared with 25 percent of their male counterparts
• Canada’s population is migrating westward and coalescing in four urban centres: the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Montreal, the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and Vancouver-Victoria
• Canada is experiencing increasing income inequality between its older and younger workers as well as its native-born residents and immigrants

Please visit our Webcasts page for a complete listing of our 2006 Canadian Census Web Seminar Series presentations.