Using data from the Census of Canada, Metro Vancouver has produced a series of bulletins profiling Metro Vancouver's population, age and gender, agriculture, immigration, language, Aboriginal population, ethnic origins, families, educational levels, labour force, migration, income, and housing. New bulletins based on Census 2011 data will be prepared as Census data is released throughout 2012 and early 2013.

We have done an initial compilation of the new Census data. Two tables below, one for Canada’s Metro areas and a second below for Metro Vancouver and member municipalities.

2011 Census Highlights

Metro Vancouver’s Census population increased by 197,000 from 2006 to 2011, from 2,116,583 to 2,313,328. Growth in this 5 year period significantly exceeds growth of 130,000 from 2001 to 2006. 

• Metro Vancouver had the second highest population growth among Metropolitan areas in Canada, following Toronto which added 470,000 residents – from 5,113,149 in 2006 to 5,583,064 in 2011. However, Metro Vancouver remains the third largest Metropolitan area, following Montreal’s 2011 population of 3,824, 221. 
• The Province of BC population increased by 286,570, from 4,113,487 in 2006 to 4,400,057 in 2011. Metro Vancouver absorbed about 69% of the provincial growth, resulting in Metro’s share of BC total population increasing from 51.5% to 52.5%. 
• Greater Victoria absorbed about 5% (14,527) of BC growth, while the Fraser Valley Regional District absorbed about 4% (11,171). 
• Within Metro Vancouver, Surrey absorbed 73,275 additional residents, about 37% of Metro growth. The City of Vancouver took the second largest share with 25,461 additional residents, about 13% of the population growth. 
• Metro Vancouver’s average household size increased from 2.56 to 2.60 over the past 5 years, reversing a trend of decreasing average household size seen over past Census periods.

 2011 Census Bulletin 01 - Population and Dwelling Counts
 2011 Census Bulletin 02 - Metro Vancouver Age Structure 
 2011 Census Bulletin 03 - Census of Agriculture 
 2011 Census Bulletin 04 - Dwellings & Structure Type in Metro Vancouver  NEW
 2011 Census Bulletin 05 - Household & Family Structure in Metro Vancouver  NEW

2011 Census Tables
 Metro Vancouver and Member Municipalities Population Growth Trend 2001-2011
 Population Growth Canadian Metropolitan Areas, 2006- 2011

The Population Growth by Census Tracts, 2006-2011 map shows the 2011 Census results for population growth from 2006 to 2011. Each dot on the map represents the general location of 20 additional residents within Metro Vancouver. Also on the map are regional land use areas including Metro Vancouver’s Urban Containment Boundary; the Agricultural, Conservation and Rural areas outside the Urban Containment Boundary; and the designated Urban Centres within the region. These areas are established with Metro Vancouver’s Regional Growth Strategy.