1971 Canadian census

Detailed enumeration of Canadian residents in 1971 1971 Canadian census Statistics Canada logo.svg Canada June 1, 1971 21,568,311 7.8 province/territory Ontario (7,703,106) Yukon (18,388) 1966 Canadian census 1966 1976 Canadian census 1976 The 1971 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was June 1, 1971.June 1, 1971 This is C-Day https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=Fr8DH2VBP9sC&dat=19710601&printsec=frontpage&hl=fr February 7, 2025 Montreal Gazette 6 On that day, Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count was 21,568,311. This was a 7.8% increase over the 1966 Census of 20,014,880.April 22, 1972 Canadian tally 21.5 Million https://books.google.com/books?id=9c1OAAAAIBAJ&dq=1971+Canadian+census&pg=PA2&article_id=6420,3760903 Toledo Blade 34 Google News Canada by the numbers A summary of information about Canada.2006 Population and occupied dwelling counts and intercensal growth for Canada, 1971 to 2006 https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/hlt/97-550/Index.cfm?TPL=P1C&Page=HDWELL&LANG=Eng&T=99#tphp August 26, 2024 Statistics CanadaDecember 26, 1972 City dwellers on increase https://books.google.com/books?id=SVFmAAAAIBAJ&dq=1971+canadian+census&pg=PA8&article_id=5863,3239065 April 8, 2025 The Vancouver Sun 8 Total population 21,568,311 Dwellings 6,034,508 Men 10,795,369 Women 10,772,942 Census summary This census was the first time Statistics Canada organized the event as the Dominion Bureau of Statistics changed its name on August 3, 1971, due to the Statistics Act on May 1, 1970. One of the reasons it did this is because the word Dominion cannot be well translated into French.Smellie George July 31, 1971 DBS changes name https://books.google.com/books?id=JjFgAAAAIBAJ&dq=Dominion+Bureau+of+Statistics&pg=PA7&article_id=5084,6290029 February 5, 2025 The Star Phoenix 58 Canada experienced one of its biggest census growths with the population increasing by 7.8% from 20,014,880 in 1966 to 21,568,311. The Northwest Territories and Yukon's populations soared rising above the national average with the Northwest Territories 17.4% and Yukon 21.7%. British Columbia and Alberta's populations also saw substantial growth, both going over the national average for British Columbia to grow 14.2% and Alberta 10.1%. The census also revealed a rise in the number of immigrants living in the country. 1,347,155 or 6.2% of the population compared to 1,055,818 or 5.2% in 1966.October 27, 1973 Non-Canadians on the increase https://books.google.com/books?id=1vJUAAAAIBAJ&dq=1971+canadian+census&pg=PA7&article_id=4534,5843403 February 7, 2025 The Leader-Post 7 Ontario was the most diverse province with 9.9% of inhabitants reporting citizenship other than Canadian. Newfoundland, as it was called before 2001, was the least diverse province with 99.1% of the population having Canadian citizenship.October 27, 1973 Census reveals increase in non-Canadians https://books.google.com/books?id=Be1kAAAAIBAJ&dq=1971+canadian+census&pg=PA26&article_id=5039,5118625 October 11, 2024 Edmonton Journal 26October 26, 1973 Non-Canadian percentage up https://books.google.com/books?id=b29kAAAAIBAJ&dq=1971+canadian+census&pg=PA38&article_id=4166,2266225 February 5, 2025 Calgary Herald 38 60.1% of people claimed English as their mother tongue compared to 58.4% a decade earlier. Canadians who claimed French as their mother tongue, however, shrunk from 28% to 26.8%.August 31, 1972 French losing ground outside Quebec https://books.google.com/books?id=HnBkAAAAIBAJ&dq=1971+canadian+census&pg=PA23&article_id=1136,4420996 October 11, 2024 Calgary Herald 23Blakely Arthur August 31, 1972 French percentage off https://books.google.com/books?id=HQsyAAAAIBAJ&dq=1971+canadian+census&pg=PA1&article_id=4301,7419698 February 5, 2025 Montreal Gazette 1 Population by province The population of each province in Canada:Population electoral districts Statistics Canada. 1971. Retrieved August 26, 2024. Rank Province or territory Population as of1971 census Population as of1966 census Change Percentchange 1Ontario 7,703,106 6,960,870 742,236 9.6 2Quebec 6,027,764 5,780,845 246,919 4.0 3British Columbia 2,184,621 1,873,674 310,947 14.2 4Alberta 1,627,874 1,463,203 164,671 10.1 5Manitoba 988,247 963,066 25,181 2.5 6Saskatchewan 926,242 955,344 -29,102 -3.0 7Nova Scotia 788,960 756,039 32,921 4.2 8 New Brunswick 634,557 616,788 17,769 2.8 9Newfoundland 522,104 493,396 28,708 5.5 10Prince Edward Island 111,641 108,535 3,106 2.8 11Northwest Territories 34,807 28,738 6,069 17.4 12Yukon 18,388 14,382 4,006 21.7 Canada 21,568,311 20,014,880 1,553,431 7.2 Mother tongue Population by mother tongue:Blakely Arthur May 4, 1973 Percentage of English-Canadians up https://books.google.com/books?id=VJouAAAAIBAJ&dq=1971+canadian+census&pg=PA46&article_id=793,1212266 February 8, 2025 Montreal Gazette 46June 6, 1973 Bilingualism up slightly https://books.google.com/books?id=bb0yAAAAIBAJ&dq=1971+canadian+census&pg=PA22&article_id=3207,1828628 February 8, 2025 Ottawa Citizen 22 Mother tongue Population as of 1971 census Population as of 1966 census Change Percent change English 12,973,810 10,660,534 2,313,276 21,71 French 5,793,650 5,123,151 670,499 26,9 German 561,085 563,713 2,628 -0,47 Italian 538,360 339,626 198,73458.52 Ukrainian 309,855 361,496 51,641 -14,29 Other 1,391,551 1,645,932 254,381 18.29 Ethnic group Major ethnic groups in Canada by province/territory (1971 census)1971 Census of Canada : population : vol. I - part 3. 92-722. Introduction to volume I (part 3) Government of Canada Publications 2010-06-24 https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.834326/publication.html 2026-06-01201971 Census of Canada : population : vol. I - part 3. 92-723. Ethnic groups Government of Canada Publications 2010-06-24 https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.834326/publication.html 2026-06-015–7Ethnic groupCanadaON OntarioQC QuebecBC British ColumbiaAB AlbertaMB ManitobaSK SaskatchewanNS Nova ScotiaNB New BrunswickNL Newfoundland and LabradorPE Prince Edward IslandNT Northwest TerritoriesYT Yukon TerritoryPop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentagePop. Population% percentage EnglishBritishIsles Responses to all major ethnic groups from the British Isles were noted to have a large margin of error during the 1971 Canadian census due to increasing levels of inter-marriage during the post-war era. In the ensuing decades (1980s, 1990s, and beyond), a similar trend would also occur more broadly amongst all European ethnic groups in Canada. A direct quote from the report on this topic is shown below:"Ethnic group data are subject to considerable response variation. Particularly is this true for groups such as English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh, where inter-marriage among these groups has occurred in Canada at relatively high levels over the years. For this reason, census data in recent decades have been confined largely to showing only the British Isles group in total. However, one short statement for Canada and the provinces has been included in this section of the report to provide general information as to the numbers reported as English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh, even though the data are regarded as considerably less meaningful than for the British Isles group as a whole. This situation is accentuated in the results of the 1971 Census. For example, it is apparent that significant numbers of persons reported in the Irish, Scottish and Welsh categories in 1961 must have been reported as English in 1971. Sufficient analysis has not been possible to determine the causes of this unexpected trend. But the fact that "English" was the first marking position for this question on the 1971 "self-enumeration" forms may have led some ethnic mixtures within the British Isles group to overstate this position. It may be partly due also to confusion by some respondents in mistaking "English" to mean the "English-speaking" culture. Whatever the causes, the English group appears sufficiently inflated at the expense of the remaining three component groups to distort comparability of trend data with 1961 and earlier years. In fact, each of the groups (English, Scottish and Welsh) are significantly lower than their 1961 values. These qualifications should be borne in mind when using the data in the following statement which shows the 1971 distributions for Canada and the provinces."19–20 6,245,970 6,245,970 21568290 2 2,999,375 2,999,375 7703120 2 389,790 389,790 6027750 2 806,935 806,935 2184610 2 457,235 457,235 1627865 2 241,810 241,810 988245 2 235,315 235,315 926255 2 393,435 393,435 788960 2 240,765 240,765 634570 2 418,775 418,775 522110 2 52,390 52,390 111660 2 5,155 5,155 34820 2 4,995 4,995 18395 2 French 6,180,120 6,180,120 21568290 2 737,360 737,360 7703120 2 4,759,360 4,759,360 6027750 2 96,550 96,550 2184610 2 94,665 94,665 1627865 2 86,510 86,510 988245 2 56,200 56,200 926255 2 80,215 80,215 788960 2 235,025 235,025 634570 2 15,410 15,410 522110 2 15,325 15,325 111660 2 2,275 2,275 34820 2 1,230 1,230 18395 2 ScottishBritishIsles 1,720,390 1,720,390 21568290 2 774,080 774,080 7703120 2 108,085 108,085 6027750 2 263,910 263,910 2184610 2 160,565 160,565 1627865 2 97,980 97,980 988245 2 79,940 79,940 926255 2 139,740 139,740 788960 2 58,395 58,395 634570 2 9,590 9,590 522110 2 24,105 24,105 111660 2 1,985 1,985 34820 2 2,010 2,010 18395 2 IrishBritishIsles 1,581,730 1,581,730 21568290 2 772,875 772,875 7703120 2 139,100 139,100 6027750 2 176,980 176,980 2184610 2 133,045 133,045 1627865 2 69,550 69,550 988245 2 70,730 70,730 926255 2 75,265 75,265 788960 2 64,865 64,865 634570 2 60,490 60,490 522110 2 15,535 15,535 111660 2 1,500 1,500 34820 2 1,795 1,795 18395 2 German–Austrian 1,359,320 1,359,320 21568290 2 491,085 491,085 7703120 2 56,370 56,370 6027750 2 208,160 208,160 2184610 2 237,315 237,315 1627865 2 126,265 126,265 988245 2 183,940 183,940 926255 2 41,160 41,160 788960 2 8,560 8,560 634570 2 2,455 2,455 522110 2 960 960 111660 2 1,390 1,390 34820 2 1,665 1,665 18395 2 Italian 730,820 730,820 21568290 2 463,095 463,095 7703120 2 169,655 169,655 6027750 2 53,795 53,795 2184610 2 24,805 24,805 1627865 2 10,445 10,445 988245 2 2,865 2,865 926255 2 3,770 3,770 788960 2 1,380 1,380 634570 2 495 495 522110 2 105 105 111660 2 250 250 34820 2 160 160 18395 2 Ukrainian 580,660 580,660 21568290 2 159,880 159,880 7703120 2 20,325 20,325 6027750 2 60,145 60,145 2184610 2 135,510 135,510 1627865 2 114,410 114,410 988245 2 85,920 85,920 926255 2 2,315 2,315 788960 2 600 600 634570 2 175 175 522110 2 125 125 111660 2 635 635 34820 2 610 610 18395 2 Scandinavian–Nordic 443,990 443,990 21568290 2 98,740 98,740 7703120 2 10,685 10,685 6027750 2 123,635 123,635 2184610 2 102,015 102,015 1627865 2 36,555 36,555 988245 2 60,835 60,835 926255 2 4,265 4,265 788960 2 3,750 3,750 634570 2 1,225 1,225 522110 2 270 270 111660 2 935 935 34820 2 1,085 1,085 18395 2 Dutch 425,945 425,945 21568290 2 206,940 206,940 7703120 2 12,590 12,590 6027750 2 70,535 70,535 2184610 2 58,565 58,565 1627865 2 35,300 35,300 988245 2 19,040 19,040 926255 2 14,845 14,845 788960 2 5,365 5,365 634570 2 665 665 522110 2 1,245 1,245 111660 2 340 340 34820 2 515 515 18395 2 Polish 316,425 316,425 21568290 2 144,115 144,115 7703120 2 23,970 23,970 6027750 2 29,545 29,545 2184610 2 44,325 44,325 1627865 2 42,700 42,700 988245 2 26,910 26,910 926255 2 3,260 3,260 788960 2 690 690 634570 2 285 285 522110 2 110 110 111660 2 270 270 34820 2 245 245 18395 2 Indigenous 312,765 312,765 21568290 2 63,175 63,175 7703120 2 36,590 36,590 6027750 2 52,430 52,430 2184610 2 44,680 44,680 1627865 2 43,165 43,165 988245 2 40,550 40,550 926255 2 4,495 4,495 788960 2 3,920 3,920 634570 2 2,280 2,280 522110 2 315 315 111660 2 18,580 18,580 34820 2 2,590 2,590 18395 2 Jewish 296,945 296,945 21568290 2 135,195 135,195 7703120 2 115,990 115,990 6027750 2 12,175 12,175 2184610 2 7,320 7,320 1627865 2 20,010 20,010 988245 2 2,195 2,195 926255 2 2,535 2,535 788960 2 1,030 1,030 634570 2 360 360 522110 2 60 60 111660 2 30 30 34820 2 35 35 18395 2 Hungarian 131,890 131,890 21568290 2 65,695 65,695 7703120 2 12,570 12,570 6027750 2 16,600 16,600 2184610 2 16,240 16,240 1627865 2 5,405 5,405 988245 2 13,825 13,825 926255 2 755 755 788960 2 365 365 634570 2 105 105 522110 2 20 20 111660 2 115 115 34820 2 195 195 18395 2 Greek 124,475 124,475 21568290 2 67,025 67,025 7703120 2 42,870 42,870 6027750 2 6,615 6,615 2184610 2 3,250 3,250 1627865 2 2,095 2,095 988245 2 900 900 926255 2 1,220 1,220 788960 2 335 335 634570 2 100 100 522110 2 0 0 111660 2 35 35 34820 2 25 25 18395 2 Chinese 118,815 118,815 21568290 2 39,325 39,325 7703120 2 11,905 11,905 6027750 2 44,315 44,315 2184610 2 12,905 12,905 1627865 2 3,430 3,430 988245 2 4,605 4,605 926255 2 935 935 788960 2 575 575 634570 2 610 610 522110 2 25 25 111660 2 115 115 34820 2 85 85 18395 2 Yugoslav 104,950 104,950 21568290 2 70,060 70,060 7703120 2 6,810 6,810 6027750 2 14,730 14,730 2184610 2 7,410 7,410 1627865 2 3,110 3,110 988245 2 2,090 2,090 926255 2 355 355 788960 2 95 95 634570 2 10 10 522110 2 30 30 111660 2 100 100 34820 2 150 150 18395 2 Portuguese 96,875 96,875 21568290 2 63,145 63,145 7703120 2 16,555 16,555 6027750 2 9,635 9,635 2184610 2 2,385 2,385 1627865 2 3,815 3,815 988245 2 275 275 926255 2 475 475 788960 2 195 195 634570 2 340 340 522110 2 15 15 111660 2 20 20 34820 2 25 25 18395 2 Czechoslovak 81,870 81,870 21568290 2 40,770 40,770 7703120 2 6,725 6,725 6027750 2 10,630 10,630 2184610 2 12,970 12,970 1627865 2 4,760 4,760 988245 2 4,940 4,940 926255 2 670 670 788960 2 165 165 634570 2 50 50 522110 2 25 25 111660 2 105 105 34820 2 75 75 18395 2 WelshBritishIsles 74,415 74,415 21568290 2 29,070 29,070 7703120 2 2,820 2,820 6027750 2 17,300 17,300 2184610 2 10,625 10,625 1627865 2 4,680 4,680 988245 2 4,130 4,130 926255 2 2,855 2,855 788960 2 1,700 1,700 634570 2 700 700 522110 2 255 255 111660 2 145 145 34820 2 140 140 18395 2 Indian (South Asian) 67,925 67,925 21568290 2 30,920 30,920 7703120 2 6,510 6,510 6027750 2 18,795 18,795 2184610 2 4,400 4,400 1627865 2 3,205 3,205 988245 2 1,625 1,625 926255 2 1,345 1,345 788960 2 465 465 634570 2 460 460 522110 2 135 135 111660 2 55 55 34820 2 15 15 18395 2 Russian–Belarusian 66,755 66,755 21568290 2 13,715 13,715 7703120 2 4,255 4,255 6027750 2 23,395 23,395 2184610 2 10,490 10,490 1627865 2 4,225 4,225 988245 2 10,080 10,080 926255 2 265 265 788960 2 150 150 634570 2 45 45 522110 2 10 10 111660 2 70 70 34820 2 70 70 18395 2 African/Black/West Indian 62,470 62,470 21568290 2 37,760 37,760 7703120 2 10,275 10,275 6027750 2 2,435 2,435 2184610 2 2,255 2,255 1627865 2 2,125 2,125 988245 2 540 540 926255 2 6,250 6,250 788960 2 620 620 634570 2 130 130 522110 2 0 0 111660 2 35 35 34820 2 40 40 18395 2 Baltic 61,515 61,515 21568290 2 42,140 42,140 7703120 2 6,845 6,845 6027750 2 5,240 5,240 2184610 2 3,700 3,700 1627865 2 1,845 1,845 988245 2 810 810 926255 2 535 535 788960 2 210 210 634570 2 100 100 522110 2 30 30 111660 2 40 40 34820 2 50 50 18395 2 Belgian 51,135 51,135 21568290 2 19,955 19,955 7703120 2 8,220 8,220 6027750 2 4,840 4,840 2184610 2 4,265 4,265 1627865 2 9,055 9,055 988245 2 3,555 3,555 926255 2 665 665 788960 2 335 335 634570 2 50 50 522110 2 75 75 111660 2 70 70 34820 2 50 50 18395 2 Japanese 37,260 37,260 21568290 2 15,600 15,600 7703120 2 1,745 1,745 6027750 2 13,585 13,585 2184610 2 4,460 4,460 1627865 2 1,335 1,335 988245 2 315 315 926255 2 85 85 788960 2 40 40 634570 2 20 20 522110 2 15 15 111660 2 15 15 34820 2 40 40 18395 2 Spanish 27,515 27,515 21568290 2 10,330 10,330 7703120 2 10,825 10,825 6027750 2 3,070 3,070 2184610 2 1,305 1,305 1627865 2 640 640 988245 2 210 210 926255 2 640 640 788960 2 310 310 634570 2 110 110 522110 2 25 25 111660 2 30 30 34820 2 20 20 18395 2 Romanian 27,375 27,375 21568290 2 9,255 9,255 7703120 2 2,320 2,320 6027750 2 3,765 3,765 2184610 2 4,670 4,670 1627865 2 1,375 1,375 988245 2 5,550 5,550 926255 2 240 240 788960 2 90 90 634570 2 10 10 522110 2 5 5 111660 2 25 25 34820 2 70 70 18395 2 Syrian–Lebanese 26,665 26,665 21568290 2 10,540 10,540 7703120 2 8,235 8,235 6027750 2 785 785 2184610 2 1,805 1,805 1627865 2 945 945 988245 2 595 595 926255 2 2,005 2,005 788960 2 1,135 1,135 634570 2 405 405 522110 2 205 205 111660 2 5 5 34820 2 5 5 18395 2 British Isles, n.o.s. The abbreviation "n.o.s." means "not otherwise specified." Includes general responses indicating British Isles origins (e.g., 'British,' 'United Kingdom') as well as more specific responses indicating British Isles origins that are not otherwise specified (e.g., 'Celtic'). 1,615 1,615 21568290 2 615 615 7703120 2 245 245 6027750 2 335 335 2184610 2 190 190 1627865 2 105 105 988245 2 75 75 926255 2 20 20 788960 2 10 10 634570 2 5 5 522110 2 0 0 111660 2 0 0 34820 2 5 5 18395 2 Other & Unknown 209,690 209,690 21568290 2 91,285 91,285 7703120 2 25,510 25,510 6027750 2 33,745 33,745 2184610 2 24,495 24,495 1627865 2 11,395 11,395 988245 2 7,695 7,695 926255 2 4,345 4,345 788960 2 3,430 3,430 634570 2 6,655 6,655 522110 2 245 245 111660 2 495 495 34820 2 400 400 18395 2 Total responses 21,568,290 21568290 21568311 2 7,703,120 7703120 7703106 2 6,027,750 6027750 6027764 2 2,184,610 2184610 2184621 2 1,627,865 1627865 1627874 2 988,245 988245 988247 2 926,255 926255 926242 2 788,960 788960 788960 2 634,570 634570 634557 2 522,110 522110 522104 2 111,660 111660 111641 2 34,820 34820 34807 2 18,395 18395 18388 2 Total population 21,568,311 21568311 21568311 2 7,703,106 7703106 7703106 2 6,027,764 6027764 6027764 2 2,184,621 2184621 2184621 2 1,627,874 1627874 1627874 2 988,247 988247 988247 2 926,242 926242 926242 2 788,960 788960 788960 2 634,557 634557 634557 2 522,104 522104 522104 2 111,641 111641 111641 2 34,807 34807 34807 2 18,388 18388 18388 2 At the time of the 1971 Census, Canada comprised 12 major administrative units; ten provinces and two territories. See also Population and housing censuses by country Notes References Census Category:Censuses in Canada Category:1971 censuses