List of population centres in British Columbia
Population centre, in Canadian census data, is a populated place, or a cluster of interrelated populated places, which meets the demographic characteristics of an urban area, having a population of at least 1,000 people and a population density of no fewer than 400 persons per square km2.[1]
The term was first introduced in the Canada 2011 Census; prior to that, Statistics Canada used the term urban area.[1]
In the 2011 census, Statistics Canada listed 100 population centres in the province of British Columbia.[2]
Characteristics
A population centre does not necessarily correspond to the boundaries of a municipality, a census division or a metropolitan area, but solely to a band of census dissemination blocks that meets the statistical definition of an urban area. A less densely populated or unpopulated area within a city's municipal boundaries may not be included as part of its urban area, while neighbouring municipalities whose urban development is directly contiguous with the main city's urban core population will be included.
For example, the cities of Surrey and White Rock are part of Metro Vancouver; however, the population centre of Vancouver includes only the urbanized northern part of Surrey. As a band of more sparsely populated rural area separates White Rock and the adjacent South Surrey neighbourhood from northern Surrey, these communities form the distinct population centre of White Rock and are not part of Vancouver's statistical urban area.[3] Similarly, the district municipality of Delta is also part of Metro Vancouver, while the population centre of Vancouver includes the neighbourhoods of Ladner and Tsawwassen but excludes the less densely populated North Delta area.[3]
List
Rank | Population centre | Size group | Population in 2011 | Population in 2006 |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Vancouver | Large urban | 2,135,201 | 1,955,278 |
2 | Victoria | Large urban | 316,327 | 303,977 |
3 | Abbotsford | Large urban | 149,855 | 140,275 |
4 | Kelowna | Large urban | 141,767 | 128,127 |
5 | Nanaimo | Medium | 88,799 | 84,100 |
6 | White Rock | Medium | 82,368 | 74,023 |
7 | Kamloops | Medium | 73,472 | 70,549 |
8 | Chilliwack | Medium | 66,382 | 58,593 |
9 | Prince George | Medium | 65,503 | 65,066 |
10 | Vernon | Medium | 44,600 | 42,731 |
11 | Courtenay | Medium | 40,809 | 37,435 |
12 | Penticton | Medium | 36,902 | 35,846 |
13 | Campbell River | Medium | 34,514 | 33,121 |
14 | Walnut Grove | Small | 27,969 | 25,683 |
15 | Duncan | Small | 24,479 | 23,157 |
16 | Parksville | Small | 24,326 | 23,740 |
17 | Port Alberni | Small | 20,503 | 20,189 |
18 | Cranbrook | Small | 19,364 | 18,373 |
19 | Fort St. John | Small | 18,699 | 17,697 |
20 | Terrace | Small | 15,569 | 15,415 |
21 | Squamish | Small | 15,051 | 13,148 |
22 | Quesnel | Small | 13,566 | 12,641 |
23 | Powell River | Small | 13,175 | 12,972 |
24 | Aldergrove | Small | 12,778 | 12,363 |
25 | Williams Lake | Small | 12,408 | 12,475 |
26 | Prince Rupert | Small | 11,838 | 12,128 |
27 | Salmon Arm | Small | 11,810 | 10,791 |
28 | Dawson Creek | Small | 11,583 | 10,994 |
29 | Nelson | Small | 10,520 | 9,529 |
30 | Trail | Small | 9,276 | 8,956 |
31 | Castlegar | Small | 8,992 | 8,402 |
32 | Ladysmith | Small | 8,841 | 8,467 |
33 | Gibsons | Small | 8,089 | 8,023 |
34 | Whistler | Small | 7,699 | 7,796 |
35 | Sechelt | Small | 7,251 | 6,773 |
36 | Merritt | Small | 7,189 | 7,148 |
37 | Sooke | Small | 7,136 | 6,174 |
38 | Kitimat | Small | 7,046 | 7,600 |
39 | Revelstoke | Small | 6,772 | 6,869 |
40 | Kimberley | Small | 6,723 | 6,199 |
41 | Summerland | Small | 6,704 | 6,345 |
42 | Duck Lake | Small | 6,281 | 5,643 |
43 | Smithers | Small | 5,473 | 5,257 |
44 | Creston | Small | 5,379 | 4,944 |
45 | Oliver | Small | 5,175 | 4,754 |
46 | Osoyoos | Small | 4,855 | 4,752 |
47 | Armstrong | Small | 4,830 | 4,258 |
48 | Fernie | Small | 4,811 | 4,621 |
49 | Dallas | Small | 4,445 | 4,348 |
50 | Grand Forks | Small | 4,274 | 4,237 |
51 | Hope | Small | 4,234 | 4,455 |
52 | Fort Nelson | Small | 3,902 | 4,514 |
53 | Golden | Small | 3,701 | 3,811 |
54 | Fruitvale | Small | 3,628 | 3,627 |
55 | Shawnigan | Small | 3,543 | 3,586 |
56 | Port Hardy | Small | 3,515 | 3,290 |
57 | Rossland | Small | 3,491 | 3,207 |
58 | Sparwood | Small | 3,460 | 3,358 |
59 | Cumberland | Small | 3,381 | 2,737 |
60 | Mackenzie | Small | 3,300 | 4,316 |
61 | Kent | Small | 3,182 | 2,908 |
62 | Lake Cowichan | Small | 3,159 | 3,082 |
63 | Chemainus | Small | 3,035 | 2,937 |
64 | Invermere | Small | 2,955 | 3,002 |
65 | Enderby | Small | 2,932 | 2,843 |
66 | Princeton | Small | 2,724 | 2,780 |
67 | Tumbler Ridge | Small | 2,700 | 2,444 |
68 | Elkford | Small | 2,518 | 2,443 |
69 | Port McNeill | Small | 2,505 | 2,623 |
70 | Chase | Small | 2,495 | 2,409 |
71 | Sicamous | Small | 2,441 | 2,676 |
72 | Burns Lake | Small | 2,390 | 2,778 |
73 | Pemberton | Small | 2,369 | 2,192 |
74 | Fort St. James | Small | 2,278 | 1,876 |
75 | Chetwynd | Small | 2,255 | 2,218 |
76 | Houston | Small | 2,246 | 2,304 |
77 | Aldergrove East | Small | 2,203 | 1,048 |
78 | Lillooet | Small | 2,068 | 2,111 |
79 | Logan Lake | Small | 1,975 | 2,072 |
80 | Blind Bay | Small | 1,738 | 1,684 |
81 | Lumby | Small | 1,731 | 1,634 |
82 | One Hundred Mile House | Small | 1,721 | 1,683 |
83 | Ashcroft | Small | 1,628 | 1,664 |
84 | Ucluelet | Small | 1,627 | 1,487 |
85 | Nakusp | Small | 1,574 | 1,524 |
86 | Mill Bay | Small | 1,549 | 1,343 |
87 | Roberts Creek | Small | 1,472 | 1,434 |
88 | Harrison Hot Springs | Small | 1,468 | 1,573 |
89 | Cowichan Bay | Small | 1,401 | 1,215 |
90 | Vanderhoof | Small | 1,382 | 1,213 |
91 | Lions Bay | Small | 1,318 | 1,328 |
92 | Gold River | Small | 1,267 | 1,362 |
93 | Fraser Lake | Small | 1,167 | 1,113 |
94 | Salmo | Small | 1,139 | 1,007 |
95 | Miller's Landing | Small | 1,113 | 722 |
96 | Cultus Lake | Small | 1,110 | 1,119 |
97 | Welcome Beach | Small | 1,106 | 1,069 |
98 | Crofton | Small | 1,092 | 1,108 |
99 | Deep Cove | Small | 1,088 | 1,249 |
100 | Cache Creek | Small | 1,040 | 1,037 |
References
- 1 2 "From urban areas to population centres". Statistics Canada, May 5, 2011.
- ↑ Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and population centres, 2011 and 2006 censuses: British Columbia. Statistics Canada.
- 1 2 Map: Vancouver (Population Centre), British Columbia. Statistics Canada, February 1, 2012.