Population
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
| |
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
| 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
| 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.
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
| 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.
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
| 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
| 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 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
| |
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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