By the Numbers: Diversity in Canada

Toronto – October 27, 2017 – Recently released Census of Population data from Statistics Canada shows that Canada is more diverse than ever, with over one-fifth of Canadians identifying as immigrants – the highest share in 85 years. Below are some of the key figures from the latest Census release.

21.9%

More than one-fifth of Canadian residents report being or having been an immigrant or permanent resident, the highest level in almost a century.

1.7 million

Canada’s Indigenous population is growing at over four times the rate of our non-Indigenous population, reaching nearly 1.7 million people in 2016.

30%

Statistics Canada estimates that immigrants could represent up to 30 percent of all Canadians by 2036.

1.2 million

Canada welcomed 1.2 million new immigrants between 2011 and 2016.

60%

More than 60 percent of new immigrants originate from Asia. 15.6 percent come from the Philippines, while 12.1 percent originate from India and 10.6 percent come from China.

7.7 million

The 2016 Census shows that 7.7 million Canadians belong to a visible minority, representing over one-fifth of the current population.

51.5%

In Toronto, Canada’s largest city, more than half of all residents identify as a visible minority.

Source: 2016 Census topic: Immigration and ethnocultural diversity, Statistics Canada, October 2017.