The Increasing Ethnocultural Diversity among the Canadian-Born Population: Results from DemoSim, A Population Projection Model Using Micro-Simulation

Andre Lebel, Statistics Canada
Éric Caron Malenfant, Statistics Canada
Laurent Martel, Statistics Canada

In recent decades, the ethnocultural diversity of the Canadian population has increased under the effect of sustained immigration levels from non-European countries. The proportion of persons belonging to visible minority groups, of non-Christian religions or of mother tongue neither English nor French has risen, especially in large urban centres such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Ethnocultural diversity first increased rapidly among the foreign-born population of Canada and it is now increasing rapidly among the second generation of Canadians, that is persons born in Canada with at least one parent born outside the country, as well as in the third (or more) generation, that is people born in Canada with both parents born in Canada. Based upon projections using a unique micro-simulation model, this paper focuses on these changes, distinguishing different generations of Canadians and showing the complex ethnocultural mosaic of the Canadian population expected by 2031.