Demographics of Toronto - Immigration Patterns

Immigration Patterns

According to the Canadian government, Toronto has the highest per capita immigration rate in the world. Within Canada itself, 43% of all new immigrants to Canada settle in the Greater Toronto Area adding significantly to Toronto's population. According to the 2006 Census, 45.7% of the residents of Toronto were immigrants. For the City of Toronto, the corresponding figure stood at 50.0%

The 2006 Census data show the following temporal patterns in the sources of immigration to Toronto (and retention of immigrants per source country):

• Recent immigrants (2001-2006, 447,930): India 17.4%, China 14.3%, Pakistan 8.3%, Philippines 7.4%, Sri Lanka 3.9%, Iran 3.2%
• Period of immigration: 1996-2000 (362,320): India 13.5%, China 13.1%, Pakistan 7.8%, Philippines 5.9%, Sri Lanka 5.2%, Hong Kong 4.3%, Iran 3.4%, Russia 3.2%
• Period of immigration: 1991-1995 (357,865): Hong Kong 9.1%, India 8.7%, Philippines 8.7%, Sri Lanka 8.3%, China 8.1%, Poland 4.5%, Jamaica 4.1%, Guyana 3.5%, Vietnam 3.3%
• Period of immigration: Before 1991 (1,152,050): Italy 11.1%, United Kingdom 9.7%, Portugal 5.9%, India 5.6%, Jamaica 5.5%, Hong Kong 4.5%, China 4.4%, Philippines 3.9%, Poland 3.8%, Guyana 3.8%, Vietnam 3.4%

The percentage and breakdown of immigrants per place of birth for each City of Toronto Community Council is as follows :

• Toronto & East York (642,940): 39.0% (Eastern Asia 6.7%; Southern Europe 6.5%; Southeast Asia 4.1%; Southern Asia 3.7%; Eastern Europe 3.3%; Northern Europe 3.2%)
• North York (635,265): 54.4% (Eastern Asia 11.3%; Eastern Europe 6.5%; West Central Asia & Middle East 6.1%; Southern Europe 6.0%; Southeast Asia 5.5%; Southern Asia 5.5%)
• Scarborough (602,610): 57.4% (Eastern Asia 14.3%; Southern Asia 13.9%; Southeast Asia 6.6%; Caribbean & Bermuda 5.1%; South America 3.4%; Southern Europe 3.2%)
• Etobicoke York (595,370): 49.6% (Southern Europe 11.4%; Southern Asia 7.0%; Eastern Europe 5.8%; Caribbean & Bermuda 4.6%; Southeast Asia 4.2%; South America 4.1%)

The City of Toronto ward with the highest percentage of total immigrants is Ward 41 Scarborough-Rouge River where 71.4% of the total population are immigrants (Eastern Asia 41.4%, Southern Asia 10.7%, Southeast Asia 6.0%, Caribbean & Bermuda 3.8%). At the other end of the spectrum is Ward 16 Eglinton-Lawrence having the lowest percentage of immigrants, 24.7% in particular (Eastern Europe 4.1%, Northern Europe 3.4%, Southern Europe 3.3%).