Selected Characteristics

British Columbia †

Canada †

Demographic Characteristics

3,907,735

30,007,090

1,919,105

14,706,850

105,370

868,075

123,845

1,011,460

132,715

1,051,450

27,995

212,750

28,430

213,515

28,115

211,215

27,670

208,300

26,990

206,370

139,195

1,052,145

121,945

982,280

117,985

935,510

135,045

1,031,255

156,695

1,245,000

163,690

1,271,725

155,015

1,151,155

142,015

1,033,365

104,955

789,205

83,955

621,570

74,860

543,825

64,680

461,785

48,500

338,820

28,825

192,645

19,815

125,580

1,988,640

15,300,245

100,280

828,210

117,215

964,675

126,640

1,001,665

25,985

201,070

26,665

201,310

26,690

200,750

26,145

199,105

25,595

198,950

131,080

1,001,180

122,120

973,530

124,580

962,685

141,005

1,065,490

163,585

1,277,855

172,200

1,307,040

159,880

1,182,380

142,800

1,052,395

105,215

805,030

85,625

652,215

75,925

589,800

71,250

547,430

63,705

474,850

45,315

323,490

40,220

290,325

3,201,665

24,281,560

1,011,280

8,139,330

1,626,225

12,011,680

109,970

733,870

260,270

1,854,770

193,915

1,541,915

3,868,870

29,639,030

836,445

3,983,845

365,490

1,029,395

210,290

917,075

25,465

662,215

64,010

308,575

23,885

216,975

34,975

198,880

6,605

194,680

22,380

109,285

31,965

100,660

32,725

73,315

4,195

98,915

14,460

73,870

3,032,430

25,655,185

3,868,875

29,639,030

2,821,865

23,991,910

1,009,815

5,448,480

37,190

198,645

3,868,875

29,639,030

2,825,780

17,352,320

54,400

6,703,325

939,945

5,202,245

48,750

381,145

3,868,875

29,639,035

3,493,680

20,014,645

1,810

3,946,525

269,360

5,231,575

104,015

446,290

3,868,875

29,639,035

3,027,905

18,267,830

6,120

5,861,130

339,230

1,693,120

37,810

1,015,915

448,125

2,463,800

1,795

221,755

7,890

115,485

170,025

976,310

3,698,845

28,662,725

Education

3,160,565

23,901,360

886,085

7,476,900

809,800

5,958,060

373,240

2,598,925

484,980

3,578,400

606,455

4,289,075

Income and Work

3,160,565

23,901,360

2,059,945

15,872,075

1,883,970

14,695,130

175,975

1,176,935

1,100,620

8,029,290

65.2

66.4

59.6

61.5

8.5

7.4

2,059,945

15,872,070

45,340

295,510

2,014,605

15,576,565

218,450

1,620,905

353,710

2,768,370

123,760

1,003,815

105,690

812,200

160,650

1,205,185

67,325

435,680

514,985

3,677,380

288,940

2,294,620

84,520

667,550

96,585

1,090,860

3,160,565

23,901,360

318,305

2,475,115

746,120

5,625,170

992,640

7,540,180

624,195

4,716,120

339,810

2,524,015

139,490

1,020,765

29,613

29,769

57,593

58,360

64,821

66,160

Language Used at Work

2,209,795

16,961,080

2,012,960

11,918,110

1,435

2,433,570

40,285

130,205

25,410

1,830,785

125,855

556,835

160

25,535

3,695

66,045

Families and Dwellings

917,615

7,059,830

797,485

5,901,425

120,125

1,158,405

168,420

1,311,190

136,455

1,065,360

31,965

245,825

2.9

3.0

1,534,335

11,562,975

230,645

162,709

1,017,490

7,610,390

512,365

3,907,170

Religion

3,868,875

29,639,030

675,320

12,936,910

1,213,295

8,654,850

35,655

479,620

200,340

780,450

56,215

579,640

21,230

329,995

85,540

300,345

31,495

297,200

135,310

278,410

9,975

37,545

16,205

63,975

1,388,300

4,900,095

†

Excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements. For further information, see the "Special Notes".
 

Age - Refers to the age at last birthday (as of the census reference date, May 15, 2001). This variable is derived from date of birth. Sex - Refers to the gender of the respondent.

"Refers to the legal conjugal status of a person. The various responses are defined as follows:

Never legally married (single) - Persons who have never married (including all persons less than 15 years of age) and persons whose marriage has been annulled and who have not remarried.

Legally married (and not separated) - Persons whose husband or wife is living, unless the couple is separated or a divorce has been obtained.

Separated, but still legally married - Persons currently married, but who are no longer living with their spouse (for any reason other than illness or work) and have not obtained a divorce.

Divorced - Persons who have obtained a legal divorce and who have not remarried.

Widowed - Persons who have lost their spouse through death and who have not remarried."

Refers to the visible minority group to which the respondent belongs. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as 'persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour'. The visible minority population includes the following groups: Chinese, South Asian, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Southeast Asian, Arab, West Asian, Korean, Japanese, Visible Minority, n.i.e. and Multiple Visible Minorities.

Includes respondents who reported a write-in response classified as a visible minority such as 'Polynesian', 'Guyanese', 'Mauritian', etc.

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

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

Refers to the first language learned at home in childhood and still understood by the individual at the time of the census.

Refers to the ability to conduct a conversation in English only, in French only, in both English and French, or in neither of the official languages of Canada.

Refers to the language spoken most often or on a regular basis at home by the individual at the time of the census.

Refers to the highest grade or year of elementary or secondary (high) school attended, or to the highest year of university or college education completed. University education is considered to be a higher level of schooling than college education. Also, the attainment of a degree, certificate or diploma is considered to be at a higher level than years completed or attended without an educational qualification.

Includes persons who have attended courses at postsecondary institutions and who may or may not have a high school graduation certificate. Excludes persons with a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree. Since 1981, 'postsecondary' refers to years of schooling completed at university or at institutions other than a university, a secondary (high) school or an elementary school. Examples of postsecondary institutions include community colleges, institutes of technology, CEGEPs, private trade schools, private business colleges and schools of nursing.

Referred to as 'Other non-university certificate or diploma' in previous censuses, this sector includes non-degree-granting institutions such as community colleges, CEGEPs, private business colleges and technical institutes.

"Labour Force Activity (in Reference Week) - Refers to the labour market activity of the population 15 years of age and over in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001).

Respondents were classified as either employed, or unemployed, or as not in the labour force. The labour force includes the employed and the unemployed.

Employed (in Reference Week) - Refers to persons 15 years of age and over, excluding institutional residents, who, during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001):

(a) did any work at all for pay or in self-employment or without pay in a family farm, business or professional practice;

(b) were absent from their job or business, with or without pay, for the entire week because of a vacation, an illness, a labour dispute at their place of work, or any other reasons.

Unemployed (in Reference Week) - Refers to persons 15 years of age and over, excluding institutional residents, who, during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001), were without paid work or without self-employment work and were available for work and either:

(a) had actively looked for paid work in the past four weeks; or

(b) were on temporary lay-off and expected to return to their job; or

(c) had definite arrangements to start a new job in four weeks or less.

Not in the Labour Force (in Reference Week) - Refers to persons 15 years of age and over, excluding institutional residents, who, in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001), were neither employed nor unemployed. It includes students, homemakers, retired workers, seasonal workers in an ""off"" season who were not looking for work, and persons who could not work because of a long-term illness or disability.

Labour Force (in Reference Week) - Refers to persons who were either employed or unemployed during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001). In past censuses, this was called ""Total Labour Force"".

Participation Rate (in Reference Week) - Refers to the labour force in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001), expressed as a percentage of the population 15 years of age and over excluding institutional residents. The participation rate for a particular group (age, sex, marital status, geographic area, etc.) is the total labour force in that group, expressed as a percentage of the population 15 years of age and over, in that group.

Employment Rate (in Reference Week) - Refers to the number of persons employed in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001), expressed as a percentage of the total population 15 years of age and over excluding institutional residents. The employment rate for a particular group (age, sex, marital status, geographic area, etc.) is the number employed in that group, expressed as a percentage of the population 15 years of age and over in that group. In past censuses, this was called the Employment-population Ratio.

Unemployment Rate (in Reference Week) - Refers to the unemployed expressed as a percentage of the labour force in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 15, 2001). The unemployment rate for a particular group (age, sex, marital status, geographic area, etc.) is the unemployed in that group, expressed as a percentage of the labour force in that group, in the week prior to enumeration.

Note:

1. For information on the comparability of labour force activity data with those of previous censuses and with the Labour Force Survey, see Appendix E in the 2001 Census Dictionary, Catalogue Number 92-378-XIE or 92-378-XPE.

2. See the Dictionary of the 1971 Census terms (Catalogue No. 12-540) for differences between 1961 and 1971."

"Refers to the kind of work persons were doing during the reference week, as determined by their kind of work and the description of the main activities in their job. If the person did not have a job during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to enumeration (May 15, 2001), the data relate to the job of longest duration since January 1, 2000. Persons with two or more jobs were to report the information for the job at which they worked the most hours.

The 2001 occupation data are classified according to the 2001 National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S 2001). This classification is composed of four levels of aggregation. There are 10 broad occupational categories containing 47 major groups that are further subdivided into 140 minor groups. At the most detailed level, there are 520 occupation unit groups.

Occupation unit groups are formed on the basis of the education, training, or skill level required to enter the job, as well as the kind of work performed, as determined by the tasks, duties and responsibilities of the occupation. For information on the NOC-S 2001, see the National Occupational Classification for Statistics, 2001, Catalogue No. 12-583-XPE.

The 2001 National Occupational Classification for Statistics is a revision of the 1991 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC).

The 1991 SOC was used to classify occupation data in the 1991 and 1996 Censuses. In order to compare occupation data coded to the NOC-S 2001 with data coded to the 1991 SOC, the variable Occupation (Historical) should be used.

The 2001 occupation data can be tabulated for a number of populations, among which the most frequently used are:

(a) the employed;

(b) the experienced labour force - persons who were either employed or unemployed in the reference week but who had worked since January 1, 2000;

(c) those who have worked since January 1, 2000, regardless of whether or not they were in the labour force in the reference week.

The remaining components of the labour force, unemployed persons who worked prior to January 1, 2000, or who never worked, are shown in the data under the category 'Occupation - Not applicable'. If the respondent did not specify an occupation or did not define it in sufficient detail to permit coding, a computer-generated NOC-S 2001 code was assigned based on other economic and demographic information given by the respondent.

Human Resources Development Canada classifies occupation data according to the National Occupational Classification (NOC). This classification has a similar structure to that of the 2001 National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S 2001).

The two classifications have 520 unit groups, 140 minor groups and 10 broad categories in common. However, there are 47 major groups in the NOC-S 2001 and 26 major groups in the NOC.

Occupation data from the 2001 Census are available according to both the NOC-S 2001and the NOC structures. Occupation information is also available from the Labour Force Survey."

Unemployed persons 15 years and over who have never worked for pay or in self-employment or who had last worked prior to January 1, 2000 only.

Refers to the experienced labour force population: persons who were employed or unemployed and persons who worked for pay or in self-employment since January 1, 2000.

Household - Refers to a person or a group of persons (other than foreign residents) who occupy a private dwelling and do not have a usual place of residence elsewhere in Canada.

Census Family - Refers to a married couple (with or without children of either or both spouses), a couple living common-law (with or without children of either or both partners) or a lone parent of any marital status, with at least one child living in the same dwelling. A couple living common-law may be of opposite or same sex. 'Children' in a census family include grandchildren living with their grandparent(s) but with no parents present.

Refers to the language used most often at work by the individual at the time of the census. Other languages used at work on a regular basis are also collected.

Census Family - Refers to a married couple (with or without children of either or both spouses), a couple living common-law (with or without children of either or both partners) or a lone parent of any marital status, with at least one child living in the same dwelling. A couple living common-law may be of opposite or same sex. 'Children' in a census family include grandchildren living with their grandparent(s) but with no parents present.

Census Family - Refers to a married couple (with or without children of either or both spouses), a couple living common-law (with or without children of either or both partners) or a lone parent of any marital status, with at least one child living in the same dwelling. A couple living common-law may be of opposite or same sex. 'Children' in a census family include grandchildren living with their grandparent(s) but with no parents present.

Refers to a private dwelling in which a person or a group of persons is permanently residing. Also included are private dwellings whose usual residents are temporarily absent on Census Day. Unless otherwise specified, all data in housing products are for occupied private dwellings, rather than for unoccupied private dwellings or dwellings occupied solely by foreign and/or temporary residents.

Refers to specific religious denominations, groups or bodies, as well as to sects, cults, or other religiously defined communities or systems of belief.

Includes Roman Catholic, Eastern Catholic, Polish National Catholic Church, Old Catholic.

Includes mostly answers of 'Christian', not otherwise stated.

Includes Baha'i, Eckankar, Jains, Shinto, Taoist, Zoroastrian and Eastern religions, not identified elsewhere.

Includes Aboriginal spirituality, Pagan, Wicca, Unity - New Thought - Pantheist, Scientology, Rastafarian, New Age, Gnostic, Satanist, etc.

Includes Agnostic, Atheist, Humanist, and No religion, and other responses, such as Darwinism, etc.