According to the World Bank , population density is a measure of the numbers of persons permanently settled in a region, divided by the total land area of the region in square kilometres or square miles. This formula excludes refugees who are not permanently settled and who are still considered part of the population of their native country. The formula also excludes from the measurement of land area, any inland water bodies such as rivers and lakes and the area of the continental shelf. This formula can be used to measure the population density of a region, a state, a country or even the entire world. This paper considers some of the influences on the population density and composition of Canada.
Question A - Components of population growth in Canada
The following table provides data relevant to population growth in Canada for the year 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015, for each Canadian Province or Territory, as well as data for the entire population of Canada.
As can be seen from the table, the greatest contributor to population increase in Canada was immigration, which contributed 179,708 head of population, to the total population increase of 300,381 persons.
Question B – Growth Rate
Growth Rate = (Population Canada Q1 2016 - Population Canada Q1 2015)/ Population Canada Q1 2015 x 100
Therefore (36,048,521 - 35,709,420)/35,709,420 x 100 = .95%.
The figures in Table 4.7 in Bone (2015) are set out below in graph format and illustrate the overall decline in rates of growth since the 1950s. The growth rate figure of .95% is consistent with the patterns illustrated in the graph. This decline in growth rate is indicative of an ageing population and a decline in fertility rates.
Figure 1. Average Annual Rate of Population Increase in Canada - 1851-2006
Question C – Net Interprovincial Migration
These figures generally highlight a net migration to the west of the country. There may be several reasons for this. A recent attempt (which subsequently failed) by Quebec to adopt a Charter of Values cast the province in a non-immigrant friendly light. This was probably one reason for its huge negative net migration during the period . Economic reasons are another driver. Alberta is an attractive economic prospect for Canadian residents with its low tax rate, strong labour market and positive economic outlook all of which are very attractive to Canadian residents, especially recent immigrants from war-torn or underdeveloped countries who are attempting to improve their lifestyle.
One significant issue evident from Table 1 above is that immigration was a larger contributor to population growth during the period than was the natural increase. Projections by Statistics Canada are that, by the year 2030, population growth due to natural increase will fall to zero , which will mean that the only contributor to population growth will be immigration. Canada prides itself on its multicultural community and has always accepted immigrants to increase the population, to contribute to the workforce and for compassionate reasons. About twenty percent of Canada’s population is foreign born, many of them arriving from such regions as Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. In recent years, particularly since the crisis in Syria, refugee immigration has increased and between November 2015 and February 2016, Canada accepted 25,000 refugees.
People 65 years and over are the fastest growing age group in Canada, where the median age is 39.9 years . This means that half the population was over forty years old. This is a large increase since 1971, when the median age was 26.2 years and comes about as result of a decline in fertility rates, and an increase in life expectancy due to better medical care and lifestyle conditions. Statistics Canada estimates that by 2036, 10.4 million people will be aged 65 and over, and this number will increase to one-in-four by 2051 .
As populations age, people in rural areas dominated by primary production tend to gravitate to more urban areas in search of affordable housing and better medical and other services. Young people from rural areas also tend to migrate to urban areas in search of education and job opportunities. Since 1901, the percentage of population residing in urban areas has risen from 37 percent to over 80 percent .
Three periods in Canada’s history are significant for population growth: the middle of the 19th Century, the early years of the 20th Century and a twenty year period during and following the Second World War. From 1851 to 1861, strong growth was fuelled by high fertility rates and the influx of large numbers of immigrants from Europe and Asia who came to work on the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway . During this period however, large numbers of people left Canada to find work in the United States. The Long Depression (1873-1896), the lack of available farmland and the possibility of work in American factories fuelled this emigration. At this time, the only contributor to population growth was natural increase.
The nature and composition of population growth will have broad impacts for Canada. The aging population and immigration changes the composition of rural and urban communities and can cause shifts in focus of economic activity, household and cultural values and employment opportunities. Changes in rural land use due to aging populations may have consequences for future food security. Increases in population leads to an increased need for food. Logic dictates that all the best and most accessible agricultural land is used first, therefore an increase demand for land will probably result in less productive, poorer quality land. Current cultural values may change under the influence of increased immigration and inclusive social policies which recognize and mirror the racial and ethnic diversity of the Canadian population should accompany the transformations that multiculturalism brings. However, if properly managed, Canada’s cohesive multicultural society can only benefit from these changes.
References
Bone, R. (2015). The Regional Geography of Canada. Ontario, New York: Don Mills :Oxford University Press.
Bryant, C. a. (2001). Canada's rural population: Trends in space and implications in place. Canadian Geographer, 45(1), 132-137.
Clinkard, J. (2013, October 11). Near record international migration fuels Canada's population growth in 2013. Daily Commercial News, 86(197), 1-2.
Government of Canada. (2016, May 18). #WelcomeRefugees: Canada resettles Syrian refugees. Retrieved from Government of Canada: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/welcome/
Government of Canada. (2016, May 3). Canadians in Context - Aging Population. Retrieved from Government of Canada: http://well-being.esdc.gc.ca/misme-iowb/?iid=33
Kerr, D. a. (2007). Population growth and sustainability: Canadian considerations. Environments, 35(2), 85-96.
Martel, L. (2016, March 31). Population growth: Migratory increase overtakes natural increase. Retrieved from Statistics Canada: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-630-x/11-630-x2014001-eng.htm
Statistics Canada. (2015, December 22). Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity in Canada. Retrieved from Statistics Canada: https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-010-x/99-010-x2011001-eng.cfm#a2
The World Bank Group (2016). Data. Retrieved from World Bank: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.DNST
