The table below lists the census metropolitan areas and agglomerations in British Columbia by population, using data from the Canada 2016 Census. [1] Each entry is identified as a census metropolitan area (CMA) or a census agglomeration (CA), as defined by Statistics Canada. Any other census subdivision that comprises at least 10 percent of the CMA or CA population is listed in parentheses. [2]
A city's metropolitan area, in colloquial or administrative terms, may differ from its CMA as defined by Statistics Canada, resulting in differing populations. Such is the case with the Greater Toronto Area and the National Capital Region, in the separate provinces of Ontario, where their metropolitan populations are notably higher than their respective CMA populations. Statistics Canada listed 19 CMAs and CAs in the Canada 2016 Census.
Rank | Geographic name | Type | Region | Regional district | Population (2021) | Population (2016) | Population (2011) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Vancouver | CMA | Lower Mainland | Metro Vancouver | 2,632,000 | 2,463,431 | 2,313,328 |
2 | Victoria | CMA | Vancouver Island | Capital | 393,812 | 367,770 | 344,580 |
3 | Kelowna | CMA | Thomson-Okanagan | Central Okanagan | 229,401 | 194,882 | 179,839 |
4 | Abbotsford | CMA | Lower Mainland | Fraser Valley | 195,726 | 180,518 | 170,191 |
5 | Nanaimo | CMA | Vancouver Island | Nanaimo | 115,459 | 104,936 | 98,021 |
6 | Kamloops | CMA | Thomson-Okanagan | Thompson-Nicola | 114,142 | 103,811 | 98,754 |
7 | Chilliwack | CMA | Lower Mainland | Fraser Valley | 113,767 | 101,512 | 92,308 |
8 | Prince George | CA | Cariboo | Fraser-Fort George | 89,490 | 86,622 | 84,232 |
9 | Vernon | CA | Thomson-Okanagan | North Okanagan | 67,086 | 61,334 | 58,584 |
10 | Courtenay | CA | Vancouver Island | Comox Valley | 63,300 | 54,157 | 51,787 |
11 | Penticton | CA | Thomson-Okanagan | Okanagan-Similkameen | 47,380 | 43,432 | 42,361 |
12 | Duncan | CA | Vancouver Island | Cowichan Valley | 45,047 | 44,451 | 43,252 |
13 | Campbell River | CA | Vancouver Island | Strathcona | 35,519 | 37,861 | 36,096 |
14 | Williams Lake | CA | Cariboo | Cariboo | 29,504 | 18,277 | 18,490 |
15 | Fort St. John | CA | Peace-North | Peace River | 28,729 | 28,396 | 26,380 |
16 | Cranbrook | CA | Kootenay | East Kootenay | 27,040 | 26,083 | 25,037 |
17 | Port Alberni | CA | Vancouver Island | Alberni-Clayoquot | 25,786 | 25,112 | 25,465 |
18 | Quesnel | CA | Cariboo | Cariboo | 24,234 | 23,146 | 23,566 |
19 | Squamish | CA | Sunshine Coast | Squamish-Lillooet | 23,819 | 17,479 | 15,256 |
20 | Powell River | CA | Sunshine Coast | Powell River | 21,496 | 16,783 | 16,689 |
21 | Salmon Arm | CA | Cariboo | Columbia-Shuswap | 19,432 | 17,904 | 17,683 |
22 | Nelson | CA | Kootenay | Central Kootenay | 19,119 | 18,307 | 17,987 |
23 | Smithers | CA | Bulkley Valley | Regional District of Bulkey-Nechako | 15,378 | 15,401 | 15,324 |
24 | Trail | CA | Kootenay | West Kootenay-Boundary | 15,143 | 14,352 | 13,961 |
25 | Terrace | CA | North Coast | Kitimat-Stikine | 14,633 | 15,723 | 15,569 |
26 | Creston | CA | Kootenays | Central Kootenay | 14,108 | 13,423 | 12,722 |
27 | Dawson Creek | CA | Peace-North | Peace River | 12,323 | 12,178 | 11,583 |
28 | Prince Rupert | CA | North Coast | Skeena-Queen Charlotte | 12,300 | 12,687 | 13,052 |
29 | Merritt | CA | Thompson-Nicola | Thompson | 10,751 | 10,739 | 10,613 |
30 | Kitimat | CA | North Coast | Kitimat-Stikine | 9,414 | 8,968 | 8,879 |
31 | Osoyoos | CA | Thompson-Okanagan | Boundary | 9,121 | 7,705 | 7,145 |
32 | Revelstoke | CA | Thompson-Okanagan | Columbia Shuswap | 8,981 | 8,545 | 8,130 |
33 | Fernie | CA | Kootenays | East Kootenay | 8,320 | 7,916 | 7,532 |
34 | Invermere | CA | Kootenays | Columbia Shuswap | 8,256 | 7,478 | 6,773 |
35 | Grand Forks | CA | Kootenays | Kootenay Boundary | 7,300 | 7,150 | 7,000 |
The census geographic units of Canada are the census subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to conduct the country's quinquennial census. These areas exist solely for the purposes of statistical analysis and presentation; they have no government of their own. They exist on four levels: the top-level (first-level) divisions are Canada's provinces and territories; these are divided into second-level census divisions, which in turn are divided into third-level census subdivisions and fourth-level dissemination areas.
Greater Vancouver, also known as Metro Vancouver, is the metropolitan area with its major urban centre being the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The term "Greater Vancouver" describes an area that is roughly coterminous with the region governed by the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD), though it predates the 1966 creation of the regional district. It is often used to include areas beyond the boundaries of the regional district but does not generally include wilderness and agricultural areas that are included within the MVRD.
The Calgary Metropolitan Region (CMR), also commonly referred to as the Calgary Region, is a conglomeration of municipalities centred on Calgary, the largest city in Alberta.
Greater Montreal is the most populous metropolitan area in Quebec and the second most populous in Canada after Greater Toronto. In 2015, Statistics Canada identified Montreal's Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) as 4,258.31 square kilometres (1,644.14 sq mi) with a population of 4,027,100, almost half that of the province.
The demographics of Toronto, Ontario, Canada make Toronto one of the most multicultural and multiracial cities in the world. In 2021, 57.0 percent of the residents of the metropolitan area belonged to a visible minority group, compared with 51.4 percent in 2016, and 13.6 percent in 1981. Toronto also has established ethnic neighbourhoods such as the multiple Chinatowns, Corso Italia, Little Italy, Little India, Greektown, Koreatown, Little Tokyo, Little Jamaica, Little Portugal, Little Malta, Roncesvalles (Polish), and Bloor West Village (Ukrainian), all of which celebrate the city's multiculturalism. Data from the suburban municipalities are also included for some metrics as most of these municipalities are part of the Toronto CMA.
The Edmonton Metropolitan Region (EMR), also commonly referred to as Greater Edmonton or Metro Edmonton, is a conglomeration of municipalities centred on Edmonton, the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta.
The demographics of Metro Vancouver indicate a multicultural and multiracial region. Metro Vancouver is a metropolitan area, with its major urban centre being Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Vancouver census metropolitan area, as defined by Statistics Canada, encompasses roughly the same territory as the Metro Vancouver Regional District, a regional district in British Columbia. The regional district includes 23 local authorities. Figures provided here are for the Vancouver census metropolitan area and not for the City of Vancouver.
Ontario, one of the 13 provinces and territories of Canada, is located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province by a large margin, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all Canadians, and is the second-largest province in total area. Ontario is fourth-largest in total area when the territories of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are included. It is home to the nation's capital city, Ottawa, and the nation's most populous city, Toronto.
Alberta has experienced a relatively high rate of growth in recent years, due in large part to its economy. Between 2003 and 2004, the province saw high birthrates, relatively high immigration, and a high rate of interprovincial migration when compared to other provinces. Approximately 81% of the population live in urban areas and only about 19% live in rural areas. The Calgary–Edmonton Corridor is the most urbanized area in Alberta and is one of Canada's four most urban regions. Many of Alberta's cities and towns have also experienced high rates of growth in recent history. From a population of 73,022 in 1901, Alberta has grown to 4,262,635 in 2021 and in the process has gone from less than 1.5% of Canada's population to 11.5%. It is the fourth most populated province in Canada. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the Alberta population grew by 4.8%.
Manitoba is one of Canada's 10 provinces. It is the easternmost of the three Prairie provinces.
According to the 2021 census, the City of Edmonton had a population of 1,010,899 residents, compared to 4,262,635 for all of Alberta, Canada. The total population of the Edmonton census metropolitan area (CMA) was 1,418,118, making it the sixth-largest CMA in Canada.
The St. John's metropolitan area is the most populous census metropolitan area (CMA) in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. With a population of 212,579 in the 2021 Canadian Census, the CMA is the second largest in Atlantic Canada and the 22nd largest CMA in Canada.
In the 2021 Census, the City of Calgary had a population of 1,306,784 residents, representing 30.7% of the 4,262,635 residents in all of Alberta, and 3.5% compared to a population of 36,991,981 in all of Canada. The total population of the Calgary census metropolitan area (CMA) was 1,481,806. Calgary is the largest city in Alberta, and the third-largest municipality and fifth-largest metropolitan area in Canada, as of 2021.