Canada, Age Distribution, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 Census Counts
by William Warren Munroe, May 30, 2012

The 2011 Census of Population, Age Sex counts were released by Statistics Canada, May 29, 2012.

The large shifts in age distribution highlights the dynamics of Canada's changing population. The fluctuating age distribution is a challenge for planners. For example, in BC, public schools that had multi-million dollar expansions less than a decade ago, are being considered for permanent closure. But what of the next increase in enrolment?

Figure 1. Canada's Age Distribution, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 Census Counts

Several interesting changes of note are...

1) There are more people born in 1963 than any other year in Canada, making 49 year olds the largest single year of age.

2) The number of 57 year olds (those born in 1955 at the time of the census - 2011) has almost doubled, with an 85% increase since 1996.

3) The number of those over 100 years of age has also almost doubled, with an 86% increase since 1996.

4) The number of those in their late 20s (26 to 30 inclusive) has increased markedly (over a 1/4 million at 227,450) since 2006.

5) The number of children under 5 years of age increased since 2006, but the number of those under 3 declined again.

6) The number of females aged 18 to 34 inclusive has increased by nearly 230,000 since 2006. Will the number of children begin increasing soon?

7) what do you see?

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