2021 census: Montreal millennials outnumber boomers for the first time
Millennials now outnumber baby boomers in Montreal, according to the 2021 census.
Statistics Canada, which released the data on Wednesday, defines millennials as Canadians born between 1981 and 1996, and baby boomers as those born between 1946 and 1965.
According to the data, Canada's major urban centers have younger populations than rural regions, a higher average population growth, and greater ethnocultural diversity.
MORE SENIORS THAN CHILDREN
This data doesn't mean Montreal is getting younger, however. During the 2016-2021 period, the number of people aged 65 and up in Montreal surpassed the number of children under 15 for the first time.
This is the case for Canada's three largest cities, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.
The census showed millennials are especially dominant in downtown areas, far ahead of other age groups. On average, they represent more than a third of the population in the downtown regions of major urban centers.
Baby boomers, on the other hand, account for just one in five when it comes to these areas, even though they still make up the most populous generation in the country.
Statistics Canada notes that "the choice to move to an inner-city is therefore often related to the stage of life that a generation is going through rather than to belonging to a particular generation. By 2021, millennials, composed of post-secondary student groups and young professionals, will be the largest group living downtown."
TROIS-RIVIERES AND SAGUENAY
In general, large urban centers across Canada have younger populations due to the presence of universities and tech jobs, among other factors. However, Trois-Rivieres has the highest proportion of citizens over 65 in Canada at 25.7 per cent.
Trois-Rivieres also has the lowest proportion (59.8 per cent) of working-age people (15 to 64-year-olds) in the country. According to Statistics Canada, this is largely due to economic challenges, "in particular with regard to the availability of labour and the capacity to offer services to the population."
The Saguenay metropolitan area also has a significantly older population, with 24.4 per cent of people being over 65, making it the third oldest city in Canada.
By comparison, the proportion of people over 65 is 18 per cent in Montreal and 19 per cent in Canada.
This report was first published in French by The Canadian Press on April 27, 2022.
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