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. 1 2 "From urban areas to population centres". Statistics Canada, May 5, 2011.
  2. ↑ Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and population centres, 2011 and 2006 censuses: British Columbia. Statistics Canada.
  3. 1 2 Map: Vancouver (Population Centre), British Columbia. Statistics Canada, February 1, 2012.
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