The

Census of
Canada

Section XI-POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION

During the year 1901 the decennial Census was taken under the auspices of Mr. Archibald Blue and Mr. Thomas Coté. The figures, as finally announced, were 5,369,666 for the Dominion as a whole. The chief numerical increase was in Quebec while the chief proportional increase was in Manitoba, the Territories and the Pacific Province. Prince Edward Island was the only Province showing an actual decrease, while the increase over the whole Dominion was 536,023. The population in 1871 was 3,635,024 and in 1881, 4,324,810. compared with 1891, stood as follows:

Ontario.
Quebec

1891.

The

Provinces.

1901.

According to the figures announced from time to time in the following year, the number of families in Ontario were 451,839, as against 414,798 in 1891. The number of dwellings were 442,625, as against 406,948 in 1891. In Quebec the families numbered 303,301, as against 271,991 in 1891; the dwellings, 287,533, as against 246,644. In British Columbia the number of families was 39,000, as against 20,718 in 1891; the dwellings, 38,000, as against 20,016 in 1891. In Manitoba the families numbered 49,102, as against 31,786; the dwellings, 48,415, as against 30,790 in 1891. In New Brunswick the families numbered 62,700, as against 58,462 in 1891; the dwellings, 58,227, as against 54,718 in 1891. In Nova Scotia the families numbered 89,106, as against 83,733 in 1891; the dwellings, 85,032, as against 79,102. In Prince Edward Island the families numbered 18,746, as against 18,601 in 1891; the dwellings, 18,530, as against 18,389 in 1891. In the Territories the families numbered 29,500, as against 14,415 in 1891; the dwellings, 28,300, as against 14,129 in 1891. The population of Montreal was given at 266,826, as compared with 220,181 in the preceding Census. Taking into consideration the suburbs, however, Montreal papers claimed an actual population of 323,221. Toronto was found to have grown from 181,220 to 207,971. A Police Census taken later in the year indicated a considerable addition to this, and the Directory Census at the end of the year showed a population of 259,000. The figures for the other Cities of Canada were as follows, the only decrease being in Kingston :

A noticeable feature of the Census was the rush to the cities from the country, shown in the decreased rural population in Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Another incident was the more or less equal development in the newer Provinces of Manitoba, British Columbia and the Territories. Quebec was the only Province which showed a gain in both rural and urban divisions. The population of Canada, as a whole, showed an increase in rural districts from 3,296,141 to 3,349,065, and in urban centres from 1,537,098 to 2,020,601—an urban increase of 483,503, compared with a rural one of 52,924. Manitoba increased its rural population from 111,498 in 1891 to 184,714 in 1901, and its urban population from 41,008 to 70,233. In Ontario the rural element decreased from 1,295,323 to 1,247,190, and the urban increased from 818,998 to 935,752. New Brunswick showed a decrease in the rural population from 272,362 to 253,835, and an increase in the urban from 48,901 to 77,285. Nova Scotia showed a similar decrease in rural population from 373,403 to 330,191, and an increase in urban population from 76,993 to 129,383. In Prince Edward Island the rural element decreased from 94,823 to 88,304, and the urban increased from 14,255 to 14,955. In Quebec there was a slight increase in the rural population, from 988,820 to 992,667, and a large urban increase from 499,715 to 656,231. British Columbia showed an increase in rural population from 60,945 to 87,825, and in urban from 37,228 to 89,447. The North-West Territories increased their rural population from 98,967 to 164,334, and the urban element rose from nothing to 47,315.

The religious statistics showed considerable changes in the position of the chief denominations. The Church of England increased in British Columbia from 23,619 in 1891 to 40,672 in 1901; in Manitoba from 30,852 to 44,874; in Nova Scotia from 64,410 to 66,067; in Quebec from 75,472 to 81,345; in the Territories from 14,166 to 25,412; in the Unorganized Territories from 1,800 to 6,293. It decreased in New Brunswick from 43,095 to 41,767; in Ontario from 385,999 to 367,940; and in Prince Edward Island from 6,646 to 5,976. The Methodists increased in British Columbia from 14,298 to 25,021; in Manitoba from 28,437 to 49,909; in New Brunswick from 35,504 to 35,973; in Nova Scotia from 54,195 to 57,490; in Ontario from 654,033 to 666,360; in Quebec from 39,544 to 42,014; in the Territories from 7,980 to 22,208; in the Unorganized Territories from 178 to 4,485. There was a decrease in Prince Edward Island from 13,596 to 13,402. The Roman Catholic Church increased in British Columbia

from 20,843 to 34,227; in Manitoba from 20,571 to 35,622; in New Brunswick from 115,961 to 125,698; in Nova Scotia from 122,452 to 129,578; in Ontario from 358,300 to 390,355; in Quebec from 1,291,709 to 1,429,186; in the Territories from 13,008 to 30,089; in the Unorganized Territories from 1,336 to 8,446. There was a decrease in Prince Edward Island from 47,837 to 45,796. The Presbyterians increased in British Columbia from 15,284 to 34,176; in Manitoba from 39,001 to 65,310; in Ontario from 453,147 to 477,383; in Quebec from 52,673 to 57,952; in the Territories from 12,507 to 27,806; in the Unorganized Territories from 51 to 3,181. The decreases were in New Brunswick from 40,639 to 39,424; in Nova Scotia from 108,952 to 106,319; in Prince Edward Island from 33,072 to 30,750. The total increase in the Dominion of these four chief denominations was as follows:

There were fourteen other sects or denominations specified, of whom the most important were the Baptists with an increase in the ten years from 257,449 to 292,485; the Congregationalists from 28,157 to 28,283; the Lutherans from 63,982 to 92,394; the Disciples of Christ from 12,763 to 14,872; the Jews from 6,414 to 16,432. There were decreases in the Freewill Baptists from 45,116 to 24,229; the Brethren from 11,637 to 8,071; the Quakers from 4,650 to 4,087; the Salvation Army from 13,949 to 10,307; the Universalists from 3,186 to 2,589. The Unitarians rose from 1,777 to 1,934; the Unspecified" population decreased from 89,355 to 44,186; the "Various Sects were given as 33,756 in 1891 and as 141,474 in 1901. This latter sub-division included 122 Sects, or religious designations, ranging from Confucians to Fire-Worshippers. The population of the two chief cities of Canada was variously

constituted. In Montreal there were in 1901, 202,109 Roman Catholics, 23,934 Church of England adherents, 18,919 Presbyterians, 8,139 Methodists, 6,748 Jews, 2,043 Baptists, 1,218 Congregationalists and the rest scattering. In Toronto there were 62,407 adherents of the Church of England, 48,279 Methodists, 41,638 Presbyterians, 29,004 Roman Catholics, 11,913 Baptists, 3,655 Congregationalists and 3,078 Jews. According to sexes the Census showed 2,460,471 males in 1891 and 2,751,473 in 1901. The females numbered, respectively, 2,372,768 and 2,619,578. The unmarried males in 1891 were 1,601,541, and in 1901, 1,747,622. The unmarried females were, respectively, 1,451,851 and 1,563,459. The married males in 1891 were 796,153, and in 1901, 929,915; the married females were, respectively, 791,902 and 905,031. The widowed males in 1891 were 62,777, and in 1901, 73,597; the widowed females were, respectively, 129,015 and 150,766. There were 322 divorced females in 1901 and 339 divorced males. By Provinces the sexes were as follows:

As to origins the population of Canada was divided by the Census of 1901 into 55 divisions, of which the principal were English, 1,263,575; Irish, 989,858; Scotch, 798,986; French, 1,649,352; German, 309,741; Indian, 93,319. There were, also, 10,211 persons of Austrian origin, 2,528 of Belgian origin, 13,094 of Welsh origin, 17,299 Chinese, 33,839 of Dutch origin, 2,502 Finns, 5,682 Galicians, 33,574 Indian half-breeds, 10,892 Italians, 4,738 Japanese, 9,123 Jews, 17,427 Negroes, 6,255 Poles, 23,586 Russians, 31,104 of Scandinavian origin (including Danes, Icelanders, Norwegians and Swedes), 3,863 Swiss, and 1,641 Syrians. According to nationalities there were 5,236,109 Canadians, or British subjects, 43,398 Americans, 19,207 Austro-Hungarians, 16,379 Chinese, 6,486 Germans, 5,180 Italians, 2,927 Danish, 3,028 French, 3,607 Japanese, 20,014 Russians, and a small number of other representatives of various races and countries. According to the American Census of 1880 there were 717,157 Canadians then living in the United States; by that of 1890 there were 980,938; in the Census of 1900 there were 1,181,778. Between 1880 and 1890 this increase was 36.8 per cent., and between 1890 and 1900 it was 26.5 per cent.

Emigration to Canada

The issues involved in this subject were variously discussed during 1901. On January 16th Lord Strathcona addressed one of his occasional letters to the London Times drawing attention to the great advantages offered by Canada to British emigrants, of the agricultural class especially, and describing in some measure the boundless natural wealth of the country. A lengthy debate took place in Parliament, at Ottawa, on April 11th, as to the immigration of Doukhobors and Galicians. In his annual Report, dated July 31st, the High Commissioner in London stated that every effort was being made to interest people there in the matter of immigration. Exhibits of agricultural produce at farmers' gatherings; distribution of pamphlets and lectures by agents of the Department; school competitions for medals and the distribution of readers and atlases in the schools; the careful reply to letters, numbering in the year proceeding July 31st, 9,532; the utilization of the steamship agencies and the Canadian Pacific Railway; the work done by special Provincial Agents from British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario; were some of the elements entering into the purview of his Office. went on to urge that settlers should keep in touch with their friends in Europe and pointed out the number of prepaid passages which

He

were arranged in this way from time to time. For this purpose the Provinces should be divided into immigration districts with working committees. He asked for more samples of grain, fruit and vegetables for display to the farmers and suggested the special preparation of a good map for use in British schools together with sheets of views of Canadian scenery. The neglect of the Imperial Institute by the Provinces was deprecated and its useful influence referred to.

When

Speaking at Highgate, on August 28th, the Hon David Mills, Minister of Justice, dealt at length with the question of promoting emigration from Great Britain to Canada, instead of swelling the population of a country to the south "which is really more hostile to the United Kingdom than it is to any other country in Christendom." He declared that the Englishman left home to better himself but did not seem to know that in going to the United States his descendants were to be "trained to look more unfavourably upon the country of their birth than upon any other occupied by white men." settled there, however, "he discovers that the political atmosphere which he breathes is filled with prejudice against the country which he has left behind him with fond regret; that in every foreign dispute which may arise, the rulers of his native land are represented as "being in the wrong, as greedy, grasping, tyrannical and cowardly; cringing to the strong, oppressing the weak, and ever incapable of doing what is right." British statesmen who did not try to encourage emigration to British countries were, in his opinion, taking sides against their own land.

Under date of September 16, 1901, Mr. W. T. R. Preston, Inspector of Emigration Agencies in Europe, reported to Lord Strathcona. He devoted some space to expressing an opinion favourable to Continental emigration to Canada in preference to British emigration. The efforts to bring out the latter had, he thought, not proved very successful and local conditions in Great Britain were largely responsible for this result. "I will not say that the proposed British emigrant is not thrifty but I am safe in giving expression to the thought that the conditions are such that he is not able to anticipate the contingency of emigrating to the same extent as the Continental peasant, and he is, therefore, not as well prepared for establishing himself in a new country as the vast majority of Scandinavians, Germans, Belgians, Austrians, Hungarians, as well as others of the better class of the emigrating population of Europe." In his annual Report to the High Commissioner Mr. C. R. Devlin, Canadian Commissioner in Ireland, stated under date of July 8th that Canadian manufacturers and exporters had opportunities in Ireland "unsurpassed by any other country." He was doing what he could to promote emigration. "But then the conditions are so different. I admire the motives of the noble and patriotic men who denounce emigration. I agree with many of the views which they hold. But I am a Canadian and I see that every year numbers leave and for many years to come numbers will leave. I am anxious to get them for Canada."