Why We Were Formed:
Canada is one of the most plural countries in
the world. And with the latest wave of
immigration over the last few decades, Canada’s
demographics have been changing significantly.
According to Statistics Canada’s 2002 survey,
almost one quarter (23%) of Canada's population
aged 15 and over, or 5.3 million people, were
first generation, that is, they were born
outside Canada. Not since 1931 has the
proportion of people born outside the country
been this high.
Nearly half (46%) of the first generation in
Canada, or 2.4 million people, had only
non-European ethnic ancestry in 2002, while
about one third (31%) had only European ancestry
(other than British or French). Another 13%
reported only British, French and/or Canadian
origins and 10% reported other origins,
Statistics Canada revealed.
Meanwhile, the Aboriginal people's share of
Canada's total population is on the rise. Just
over 1.3 million people reported having at least
some Aboriginal ancestry in 2001, representing
4.4 % of the total population. In 1996, people
with Aboriginal ancestry represented 3.8 % of
the total population.
These and other demographic trends are set to
play a major role in the future development of
Canada.
During the past decade, three key factors
have shaped the nation’s workforce: A demand
for skills in the face of advancing
technologies and the "knowledge-based
economy"; a working-age population that is
increasingly made up of older people; and a
growing reliance on immigration as a source of
skills and labour force growth.
The demand for skills has been clearly
evident in new data from the 2001 Census.
Between 1991 and 2001, the number of people in
the labour force increased by 1.3 million.
Almost half of this growth occurred in highly
skilled occupations that normally require
university qualifications, while low skilled
occupations requiring high school or less
accounted for only a quarter of the increase.
At the same time, the workforce has become
much “greyer”. The average age of the labour
force rose from 37.1 years in 1991 to 39.0
years in 2001. By the end of the decade, 15%
of the labour force was within 10 years of
retirement age. By 2011, almost one fifth of
the baby-boom generation was at least 61 years
of age. This means a significant part of the
population will be entering into phase in
which they will need to define a new role for
themselves and find ways to continue to
participate in society.
In addition, rates of fertility have remained
at low levels for the past 30 years. As a
result, fewer young people are entering the
working-age population to replace individuals
in the age group nearing retirement. In 2001,
there were 2.7 persons in the 20-to-34 age
group in the labour force for every
participant aged 55 and over, down from a
ratio of 3.7 in 1981.
Canada has increasingly turned to immigration as
a source of skills and knowledge. Census data
show that immigrants who landed in Canada during
the 1990s, and who were in the labour force in
2001, represented almost 70% of the total growth
of the labour force over the decade. If current
immigration rates continue, it is possible that
immigration could account for virtually all
labour force growth in the years to come.
These significant demographic changes bring
major implications for the social, cultural and
economic life of Canada. Among the issues raised
as a result of the changes are those of
inclusion, respect for diversity, and harmony.
The DiversityCanada Foundation was formed in
order to play a pivotal role in ensuring such
issues are addressed and are managed in a way
that they contribute to Canada's development.
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