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Statistics Canada 2001 Census

FACT: 37.8% of recent immigrants in Toronto CMA have a university degree

Population

Population Forecast and Growth Rate | Multiculturalism
Multilingualism | Educational Attainment

Population Forecast and Growth Rate

With a population of 5.3 million in 2003, the GTA is Canada’s largest metropolitan area and accounts for 43.2% of Ontario’s population. By 2031 the total population of Toronto region is expected to reach 7.4 million. The City of Toronto has the largest population concentration with 47.4 percent of the total population of the Greater Toronto Area.

Distribution and Projections of Population within the Toronto Region

  Actual
Projections
  2001 2004 2011 2021 2031
City of Toronto 2,481,505 2,557,400 2,734,200 2,791,900 2,874,800
Region of Peel 988,915 1,080,000 1,217,002

1,388,051

1,524,113

Region of York 729,065 810,304 977,517

1,164,681

1,324,401

Region of Durham 506,940 543,800 643,813

829,839

1,034,245

Region of Halton 375,210 407,800 476,101

580,326

633,946

GTA Total 5,081,635 5,399,304 6,048,633 6,754,797 7,391,505
Canada 31,110,565 31,956,600 33,927,200

37,023,700

39,327,900

Source: Toronto Board of Trade, 2004.

GTA age demographics will shift slightly over the next ten years resulting in a bulge skewed toward those in their mid-40s to their mid-60s in 2014.

Forecast of the Distribution of GTA Population by Age

Age Group 2001 2004 2011 2021 2031
0-4 318,595 320,513 334,863 365,535 380,698
5-9 353,550 354,686 350,059 371,288 400,201
10-14 345,990 371,340 373,536 376,361 409,954
15-19 336,560 356,487 405,282 388,999 413,072
20-24 333,960 361,848 410,390 422,386 428,789
25-29 362,835 376,249 427,392 474,075 462,750
30-34 417,525 418,995 437,469 488,084 505,500
35-39 475,250 463,189 456,300 496,641 548,089
40-44 447,295 494,026 487,077 488,311 542,347
45-49 387,560 433,287 519,563 487,748 530,311
50-54 345,375 369,046 471,018 500,532 503,746
55-59 249,805 311,666 393,930 514,181 484,723
60-64 202,470 225,371 337,426 450,441 477,368
65-69 177,865 185,993 234,480 359,610 465,182
70+ years 407,610 440,912 504,894 687,694 974,339
Total 5,162,245 5,483,608 6,143,679 6,871,886 7,527,069
Source: Toronto Board of Trade, 2004.

According to the 2003 estimates the GTA population increased by 225,765 or 4.4% against 2001.
The fastest growing regional municipality was Halton Region.

GTA Population Growth Rates 2001-2003

  2001 2003
% Change 2001-2003
City of Toronto 2,481,505 2,532,100 2.0%
Peel 988,915 1,054,000 6.6%
York 729,065 782,800 7.4%
Durham 506,940 531,500 4.8%
Halton 375,210 407,000 8.5%
GTA Total 5,081,635 5,307,400 4.4%
Ontario 11,410,046 12,293,700 7.7%
Sources: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census; 2003 Municipalities’ estimates.

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Multiculturalism

Over the past 20 years, the Greater Toronto Area has achieved a unique position among North American immigration gateways. With almost 44% of residents being foreign born, it has approached the tipping point of having more residents of foreign rather than Canadian origin. The GTA has become a destination of choice for immigrants to Canada.




Sources: Statistics Canada 2001 Census; U.S. Bureau of the Census; Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Historically, Europe and the United Kingdom were the predominant sources of new GTA residents, however, in the last decade most new residents have come from Asia.

Immigration has a major impact on the GTA’s ethnic and racial composition. In 2001, the Toronto CMA had over 50 ethnic origin groups with a population of 10,000 or more.

Immigrant Population by Place of Birth

Place of Birth Greater Toronto Area
(Toronto & Oshawa CMA's Combined)
Eastern Asia 301,385  
Southern Asia 281,170  
South East Asia  180,105  
West Central Asia & Middle East 112,310  
Sub-Total Asia   774,775
Southern Europe 320,950  
Eastern Europe 188,030  
United Kingdom  156,450  
Other Northern & Western Europe 81,605  
Sub-Total Europe   747,030
Africa   100,205
Caribbean & Bermuda   171,730
Central & South America   138,080
United States   39,595
Oceania and other   7,480
Total   1,978,895
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census.

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Multilingualism

There are approximately 80 languages spoken in the Greater Toronto Area. After English, Chinese, including Cantonese and Mandarin, is the second most common mother tongue.

Population by Mother Tongue

Greater Toronto Area (Toronto & Oshawa CMA's Combined)
English 2,940,500
Chinese 349,520
Italian 199,455
Portuguese 110,225
Punjabi 96,410
Spanish 84,280
Polish 83,795
Tagalog (Pilipino) 77,640
French 63,970
Greek 50,980
Arabic 47,100
German 46,370
Vietnamese 36,910
Ukrainian 28,625
Dutch 15,905
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census.

Businesses located in the Greater Toronto Area have access to a multilingual workforce. French is the third language most spoken at work after English and Chinese.

Frequency of Language at Work

Greater Toronto Area (Toronto & Oshawa CMA's combined)
English 2,862,810
Chinese 84,275
French 74,230
Italian 32,585
Portuguese 23,720
Spanish 19,010
Punjabi 15,255
Korean 6,850
Vietnamese 5,355
German 4,190
Other languages 81,215
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census.

In contrast to mother tongue, which is based on linguistic comprehension, knowledge of official and non-official languages reveals the extent to which citizens can converse using the two official languages. An overwhelming majority (96.3 percent) of the GTA population speak English and/or French (Canada’s two official languages).

GTA and Canada population by knowledge of official languages

GTA and Canada population by knowledge of official languages
  GTA Population
(Toronto & Oshawa CMA's combined)
% of GTA Total Canada Population GTA as % of Canada
English only 4,339,800 87.8 20,014,645 21.7
French only 4,255 0.1 3,946,525 0.1
English and French 414,820 8.4 5,231,575 7.9
Neither English nor French 182,620 3.7 446,290 40.9
Total - Knowledge of official languages 4,941,500 100.0 29,639,035 16.7
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census.

Educational Attainment

More than 58% of the GTA population between the ages of 25 and 64, has completed a post-secondary education, which is almost 5% higher than the national average and more than 3% better than the provincial average.

Level of Educational Attainment for the Age Group 25 to 64 for the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario and Canada

  Without High School Graduation Certificates High School Trade certificates or diplomas College University Total
  Counts % of total Counts % of total Counts % of total Counts % of total Counts % of total Counts % of total
Halton Region 26,510 12.8 48,725 23.6 19,385 9.4 47,935 23.2 64,160 31.0 206,715 100.0
Peel Region 107,730 19.8 139,300 25.2 55,855 10.1 105,045 19 145,720 26.3 553,650 100.0
City of Toronto 276,140 19.8 300,945 21.6 103,745 7.4 216,435 15.5 497,285 35.7 1,394,550 100.0
York Region 60,455 16.3 83,650 22.5 32,500 8.7 70,130 18.9 124,840 33.6 371,575 100.0
Durham Region 44,385 18.7 65,835 27.8 28,535 12.1 55,075 23.2 43,120 18.2 236,950 100.0
GTA Total 515,220 18.6 638,455 23.1 240,020 8.7 494,620 17.9 875,125 31.7 2,763,440 100.0
Ontario 1,274,225 20.6 1,509,585 24.4 677,755 11.0 1,194,425 19.3 1,528,665 24.7 6,184,655 100.0
Canada 3,698,235 22.7 3,898,405 23.9 2,097,140 12.9 2,917,895 17.9 3,676,630 22.6 16,288,305 100.0
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census.

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