Out of Canada’s five fastest growing population areas, four of them are in British Columbia. The 2021 Canadian Census, which recently released data for population growth since the 2016 Census, showed that, for the first time ever, BC surpassed 5 million residents. These important statistics are vital for policymakers and the government to plan the future of Canadian communities and to distribute resources and funding accordingly.

Surprisingly, none of the fastest-growing cities in BC were in the Metro Vancouver area. Kelowna and Abbotsford, both around 150,000 in population, saw growth rates of 13.5% and 8.6%, respectively, some of the highest changes in not only the province, but also in Canada. In contrast, Vancouver grew 4.9% since 2016 to 662,248 residents. The province’s second largest city, Surrey, grew at almost double the rate of Vancouver, at 9.7%, to 568,332 residents. Interestingly, based on these statistics, Surrey is projected to become the province’s largest city by 2030, reflecting its recent slogan change to “The Future Lives Here.” Despite the population of the province being extremely skewed, with just over 3 million, or 60% of the total population, living in the Lower Mainland region, the growth rate was more spread out: the Interior grew 11%; Vancouver Island 8.2%; the Lower Mainland 7.2%; and Northern BC 0.4%, by far the lowest rate in the province.

Although more detailed information, including ethnicity makeup and age distribution, are yet to be released by Statistics Canada, estimates point to an increasingly diverse, but also aging, province. At the same time that the government places BC as the most ethnically diverse province in the country, elementary school enrolment is dropping as the province shifts to an older demographic trend.

Comparatively, BC experienced the most growth out of any Canadian province with the exception of PEI, further solidifying its position as the third-largest province in the country, behind only Ontario and Quebec. Nationally, Canada grew 5.2% to 37 million people, some of the highest rates in the developed world.

For BC, the healthy census results will mean greater allocation of services and resources, such as for infrastructure development, the education system, and healthcare. The census is critical for urban planners, housing experts, and municipal members alike to plan out the future of our communities to accommodate for growth. Additionally, every member counted in the census helps to determine how many Members of Parliament are administered to each region in Canada. Even though, on the surface, the 2021 Census seems to be just a bunch of numbers, its implications for the province are great as it reveals the makeup of our communities.