Toronto, November 25, 2008 – Whether through immigration or birth, Ontario accounts for half of the population growth in Canada.  In addition, one in five Ontarians now lives in Toronto. These trends, driven by the significant growth in the youth, Aboriginal and immigrant populations, point to interesting times ahead for not-for-profit organizations according to a series of new demographic reports.

“Knowing the trends at play in regions across the province makes it easier to anticipate change, address future needs and manage solutions, particularly as the province faces a challenging economic situation,” says L. Robin Cardozo, Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF).

Based on data drawn from the 2006 Census results, customized statistical reports on economic, social and demographic trends in Ontario are being released today by OTF. Your Community in Profile 2008 puts a face to Ontario communities and provides an analysis about Ontario overall as well as 16 OTF granting regions. Commissioned by OTF and produced by Statistics Canada, these unique profiles have relevance for communities across Ontario. They offer the most recent demographic data and analyses available about trends in Ontario.

“While we developed this information to support our grant review teams, it has significance for other organizations,” says Cardozo. “The information is now available – without charge – through OTF’s online Knowledge Sharing Centre. We expect community leaders, decision makers and not-for-profit organizations across Ontario will be able to take full advantage of it, particularly as we all look for ways to address the challenges of the current economic situation.”

Ontario highlights 2001 to 2006

The 17 reports that make up Your Community in Profile 2008 offer snapshots of trends between 2001 and 2006. A look at the latest patterns in Ontario reveals the following highlights:

• Ontario’s youth population grew by 9.3%, significantly faster than the growth rate of Canada (5.5%). This age group makes up 16.2% of Ontario’s total population;
• Ontario’s proportion of seniors (65+) is smaller than Canada’s overall;
• 17% of Ontario’s total foreign-born population came to this province between 2001 and 2006; close to 25% of Ontario residents belong to visible minority groups;
• 70% of the Aboriginal population lived off reserve as of 2006 and approximately 76% of off-reserve First Nations people lived in urban areas; 
• Ontario residents have slightly higher educational attainments than Canadians as a whole although nearly 14% of Ontarians do not have a high-school diploma, certificate or degree.

Regional variations 2001-2006

While Ontario’s overall population grew by 6.6% during the census period, a closer look at a regional level reveals different shifts in many communities. Due to social and economic trends, some regions have seen their population grow above the provincial average thanks to an influx of new Canadians or an increased birth rate. Other regions have experienced a population decline, the aging of their residents or the out-migration of their youth. Ontario’s regions and communities each have their own story to tell, as illustrated in select regional highlights below:

• The growth in four regions mainly drove Ontario’s population increase: Simcoe-York (18.9%), Halton-Peel (17.2%), Durham, Haliburton, Kawartha and Pine Ridge (9%) and Waterloo, Wellington and Dufferin (8.3%);
• Toronto is still the most diverse region in Ontario, while Halton-Peel, Simcoe-York and Hamilton are becoming increasingly diverse;
• Grand River, with one in five workers employed in the manufacturing industry, is one of the regions proportionately most dependent on this sector for jobs;
• Eastern Ontario’s Francophone community grew by 3% and continues to be the largest in Ontario, with one in five residents being Francophone;
• Simcoe-York had the highest proportion of children (0-14 years) in the province (22.1%).

Your Community in Profile 2008 includes: core demographic information based on the latest 2006 Census data; a descriptive analysis of changes and trends that have emerged between 2001 and 2006; an outlook for each region based on trends analyses; charts or other graphics; an illustration of unique circumstances and a comparison for similarities or differences between regions and the province.

The demographic information now available in Your Community in Profile 2008 will continue to be enhanced in the coming months.

The Your Community in Profile 2008 reports and related materials are available for download: Audio News Release, Executive summaries, Full reports, Regional map of Ontario, Fact sheet on provincial trends.

OTF’s Knowledge Sharing Centre provides easy access to unique OTF research and a wide range of information and resources. The Centre supports informed planning and discussion, connects people and provides information that helps strengthen Ontario’s communities.