1.0 County Profile
Population - Geographic Distribution
Statistics Canada reported that the population of Brant County was 118,485 in 2001. Overall, population growth in Brant County has not kept pace with growth experienced in the rest of Ontario. Between 1996 and 2001, the population increased by 3.4% (Table 1.1). This compares to 6.1% growth for the rest of Ontario. And, growth rates were much higher for certain areas of the county. For example, the population of the former South Dumfries Township has grown by 18% between since 1991. Much of this growth was due to population increase in the town of St. George where a number of new subdivisions have been developed over the last several years. Two municipalities experienced a decline in population between 1991 and 1996, notably Brantford Township (-0.3%) and Oakland Township (-2%).
Population density (number of people per square kilometre) can be an indicator of the extent to which an area is rural. Generally speaking, more urban areas will have higher population densities. In 2001, the County of Brant had a population density of 108 people per km2. In contrast, the City of Brantford had a population density of 1,208 people per km2.
Table 1.1: Brant County by Municipality, 1991 and 1996 Census Data.
| Municipality | 1991 Population | 1996 Population | Population change 1991-1996 | Percent of County | Land area km2 | Population Density People/ km2 |
| Brantford C | 81997 | 84770 | 3.4% | 74% | 71.22 | 1190.3 |
| Paris | 8600 | 8990 | 4.5% | 7.8% | 13.64 | 659.1 |
| Brantford TP | 6509 | 6480 | -0.3% | 5.7% | 239.61 | 27.0 |
| Burford TP | 5733 | 5840 | 2.2% | 5.1% | 276.39 | 21.1 |
| South Dumfries TP | 4624 | 5430 | 17.7% | 4.7% | 181.93 | 29.8 |
| Onondaga TP | 1519 | 1675 | 8.6% | 1.5% | 87.11 | 19.2 |
| Oakland TP | 1398 | 1385 | -1.5% | 1.2% | 45.43 | 30.5 |
| Amalgamated County of Brant | 28,383 | 29,800 | 5.0% | - | 1020.01 | 29.2 |
| Brant County Brantford City | 110806 | 114570 | 3.4% | - | 1091.23 | 105.0 |
| ONTARIO | 10084885 | 10753550 | 6.6% | - | 916733.7 | 11.7 |
Population - Age Distribution
In 1996, in Brant County, children under the age of 10 and youth aged 10-19 accounted for the same proportion of the total population (14% and 14% respectively). Adults aged 20-44 represented 37% while adults aged 45-64 constituted 21% of the population. And, those over the age of 64 made up 14% of the population (Fig.1.2).
Age/Sex Composition
As a proportion of the total population, there were fewer individuals in the 20 to 64 year old age group in Brant County than the rest of Ontario in 2001. There were also a higher proportion of those under the age of 20 and those over the age of 64 in Brant County as compared to Ontario (Figure 1.2). The notable difference between the province and Brant County in the 20-44 year old category may be attributable to people in this age group leaving the area for educational and employment opportunities.
Table 1.2: Population of Brant County and Ontario, by Age and Sex, 1996 (Source: Census 1996, Statistics Canada).
|
AGE GROUP |
BRANT COUNTY |
ONTARIO | ||
|
MALES |
FEMALES |
MALES |
FEMALES | |
|
0-9 |
8305 7.3% |
8055 7.0% |
760620 7.1% |
721615 7.7% |
|
10-19 |
8440 7.4% |
7975 7.0% |
733520 6.8% |
696465 6.5% |
|
20-29 |
6965 6.1% |
7000 6.1% |
730445 6.8% |
746050 7.0% |
|
30-39 |
9125 8.0% |
9575 8.4% |
924805 8.6% |
956705 9.9% |
|
40-49 |
8465 7.4% |
8715 7.6% |
791910 7.9% |
825070 7.7% |
|
50-59 |
5580 4.9% |
5550 4.9% |
534685 4.9% |
547095 5.1% |
|
60-69 |
4330 3.7% |
5005 4.4% |
420155 3.9% |
454350 4.2% |
|
70-74 |
1935 1.7% |
2475 2.2% |
161675 1.5% |
207750 1.9% |
|
75-79 |
1250 1.1% |
1910 1.7% |
103030 1.0% |
147980 1.4% |
|
80-84 |
800 0.7% |
1435 1.3% |
61280 0.6% |
103435 1.0% |
|
85+ |
485 0.4% |
1195 1.0% |
35760 0.3% |
89145 0.8% |
|
Total |
55680 |
58890 |
5257890 |
5495660 |
|
TOTAL |
114,570 |
10,753,550 | ||
Projected Population Growth
Between 1996 and 2016 the population of Brant County is projected to grow by 13%. While this overall growth will have an impact on the size of the communities, the substantial growth of the population aged 55 and over has the potential to have a major impact on the health care sector. Brant County will not be alone in this demographic shift as it has been well documented that all of Canada will experience similar changes as the post World War II baby boom generation ages.
The population projections for Brant County for year 2016 indicate that there will be a 23% decline in the 0-19 year age group and a one percent decrease in the 20-44 age grouping. However, it is projected that the number of individuals aged 45-64 will increase by 44% and those aged 65+ will increase by 30%.
Ethnic origin
The population of Brant County is less ethnically diverse than the province as a whole. Canadian or English ethnicity was reported by approximately 30% of the Brant County population, compared to 20% in Ontario (Fig. 1.8). The proportion of population in Brant County reporting single ethnic origin in 1996 was 55% as compared to 61% of Ontario. In Brant County, other ethnic origins included: North American Indian, Portuguese, East Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Jamaican, Belgian, Greek, Filipino, Laotian, Korean, Romanian, Pakistani, Maltese, Austrian, Slovak, Estonian, Danish, Spanish, Trinidadian/Tobagonian, Japanese, Lithuanian, Punjabi and Armenian.
Immigration Status
In 1996, the immigrant population represented 14% of Brant County’s total population as compared to 26% of the province. Over half of these individuals emigrated from Europe: 29% from the United Kingdom; 11% from Poland; 8% from Italy; 8% from the Netherlands and 5% from Germany (Fig. 1.8). Approximately 60% of the immigrant population in Brant County and in the province (58% in Brant County, 62% in Ontario) reported that they immigrated at the age of 20 or older. An additional 30% reported that they immigrated between the ages of 5 and 19, while the remainder (13% in Brant County, 10% in Ontario) immigrated prior to age 5.
Of the 15,925 immigrants living in Brant County in 1996, approximately 40% reported immigrating before 1961 with a similar proportion immigrating between 1961 and 1980. Fourteen percent immigrated between 1981 and 1990, while less than 9% (1405) immigrated between 1991 and 1996. Of the more recent immigrants, 24% had emigrated from Poland, 12% from the United Kingdom, 11% from Vietnam and 9% from India, with the bulk of these individuals settling in Brantford. A significantly larger proportion of Brant County residents (86%) were non-immigrant as compared to Ontario as a whole (74%). Of the non-immigrant population in Brant County, approximately 92% were born in Ontario compared to 87% of Ontario residents. Three percent of Brant County residents have a citizenship other than Canadian, compared to 8% of the Ontario residents.