Children and Youth in Waterloo Region:

A Demographic Profile

Children and Youth in Waterloo Region: A Demographic Profile This profile provides a description of the demographics of children and youth, and their families, in Waterloo Region. This profile is a snapshot in time. All data in this report is related to the population in private households from the 2016 Canadian Census (unless otherwise noted). For the

purpose of this report, children and youth refers to anyone from birth to 17 years of age at the time of the 2016 Census. Please refer to the Region of Waterloo Census Bulletins for more details about the census or information on Waterloo Region’s overall population.

Population of Children and Youth in Waterloo RegionAlthough the population of Waterloo Region is aging over time, in 2016, children and youth made up 21.7% (114,645 children and youth) of the total population. In contrast, adults 65 years and older made up 14.4% of the population.

Percentage of children and youth in Waterloo Region, 2016

21.7%Children and Youth in Area Municipalities Generally, the rural townships have a higher proportion of children and youth compared to the cities. For example, in the City of Waterloo 1 in 5 people, or 19.6% of the total population, were between 0 and 17 years of age. By comparison, in Wellesley Township 1 in 3 people, or 31.8% of the total population, were 17 years of age or under.

r cent of the al population t are children

d youth, by area nicipality,terloo Region,

16

PetotthaanmuWa20

Children and Youth in Waterloo Region: A Demographic Profile2

Woolwich25.4%

31.8%Wellesley

Waterloo19.6%

Kitchener21.2%Wilmot

23.4%

North Dumfries22.9%

Cambridge22.6%

Population Growth From 2011 to 2016, the total population for Waterloo Region grew by 5.5%. Over the same time period, the population of children and youth increased by 1,190 children and youth for a growth rate of 1.1%.

2011 2016

Population by SexIn Waterloo Region, 49.4% of the total population were male and 50.6% of the population were female. For the child and youth population, 51.1% were male and 48.9% were female. While these numbers are relatively close, the overall population of Waterloo Region was represented by more females than males; with the child and youth population the opposite was true - there were more males than females.

51.1% 48.9%

Number of children and youth, by sex and area municipality, Waterloo Region, 2016

In Waterloo Region, 51.1% of the population ofchildren and youth were male and 48.9% of the population were female.In 2016, there were 5,972 live births in Waterloo Region,

for a birth rate of 10.9 per 1,000 population. There was a slightly higher birth rate in Waterloo Region than Ontario overall. Across Waterloo Region area municipalities, birth rates ranged from 8.5 per 1,000 population in the City of Waterloo to 11.6 per 1,000 population in the Township of Wellesley.i

Municipality Male Female

Kitchener 24,810 23,870

Cambridge 14,640 14,250

Waterloo 10,405 9,815

Woolwich 3,215 3,005Wilmot 2,420 2,325

Wellesley 1,870 1,710

North Dumfries 1,185 1,130

Waterloo Region 58,545 56,100

Children and Youth in Waterloo Region: A Demographic Profile 3

Birth Rates

Number of live births, by area municipality, Waterloo Region, 2016

5, 972

Kitchener Cambridge Waterloo Woolwich Wilmot Wellesley North Dumfries Waterloo Region

90984

1,379

295 227 109

2, 738

Birth rate per 1,000 population, by area municipality, Waterloo Region, 201611.5

Kitchener

10.1

Cambridge

8.5

Waterloo

11.2

Woolwich

11.4

Wilmot

11.6

Wellesley

8.9

North Dumfries

10.9

WaterlooRegion

Definition: ‘Aboriginal Peoples’, a term frequently used by government agencies that collectively refers to “Indians, Inuit and Métis.” However, local communities in Waterloo Region typically prefer the term “First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples” or “First Peoples”.iii

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Children and Youth in Waterloo Region We acknowledge that the local data on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit populations in Waterloo Region is limited and the numbers may be higher than reported in the census. Overall, First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples made up 1.7% of the total population of

Waterloo Region, while First Nations, Métis and Inuit children and youth made up 2.2% of the population aged 0 to 17 years old.ii Generally, the urban centres had a higher proportion of First Nations, Métis and Inuit children and youth compared to the rural townships.

Definition: ‘Immigrant’ refers to a person who is, or has ever been a landed immigrant or permanent resident, and has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities.iv

Immigrant Population

In 2016, 6.8% of children and youth in Waterloo Region were immigrants. The percentage of children and youth who were immigrants ranged from 9.1% in the City of Waterloo, to 0.9% in North Dumfries. Generally, there was a higher percentage of children and youth that were immigrants in the cities than the rural townships of Waterloo Region.

Top 10 countries of birth for immigrant children and youth, Waterloo Region, 2016

1. United States of America

2. India

3. Syria

4. Pakistan

5. China

6. Iraq

7. United Kingdom

8. Romania

9. Philippines

10. Egypt

Woolwich Cambridge1.1% 2.6%

Wellesley Kitchener1.1% Waterloo Region 2.5%

2.2%

Waterloo Wilmot1.6% 2.3%North

Dumfries1.9%

Per cent of children and youth that identify as First Nations, Métis and Inuit, by area municipality, Waterloo Region, 2016

Children and Youth in Waterloo Region: A Demographic Profile4

Per cent of immigrant children and youth, by area municipality, Waterloo Region, 2016

Number Per cent

1,840 9.1%

4,355 8.9%

1,235 4.3%

155 2.5%65 1.8%

65 1.4%

20 0.9%

Municipality Waterloo Kitchener Cambridge Woolwich Wellesley

WilmotNorth Dumfries

Waterloo Region 7,740 6.8%

Definition: ‘Visible minority’ refers to whether a person identifies themselves as part of a visible minority group, as defined by the Employment Equity Act. This information is used by governments,businesses, community groups, researchers and other organizations to promote equal opportunity for everyone.vi

Visible MinorityPer cent of children and youth who are identified as a visible minority, by area municipality, Waterloo Region, 2016

Number Per cent

14,730 30.3%

5,875 29.1%

5,990 20.7%

460 7.4%

255 5.4%

115 5.0%

140 3.9%

Municipality Kitchener Waterloo Cambridge Woolwich

WilmotNorth Dumfries Wellesley

Waterloo Region 27,560 24.0%

Almost 1 in 4, 24.0%, of children and youth in Waterloo Region were identified as a visible minority. This amount is higher than the proportion of the total Waterloo Region population identified as a visible minority (19.0%).v

LanguageIn 2016, 2.5% of children and youth in Waterloo Region had no knowledge of either English or French, Canada’s two official languages. The top three languages spoken by children and youth with no knowledge of official languages were German, Arabic, and Mandarin. Both Vietnamese and Punjabi (Panjabi) rank equally as the 10th language most often spoken at home.

Top 10 languages spoken most often at home for children and youth age 0-14 in Waterloo Region who have no knowledge of English or French

Hallo

HolaSalutXin chào

1. German2. Arabic3. Mandarin4. Persian (Farsi)5. Serbian6. Spanish7. Gujarati8. Romanian9. Urdu10. Vietnamese10. Punjabi (Panjabi) 3 paBo

5Children and Youth in Waterloo Region: A Demographic Profile

92.5% 2.7%4.3%Wellesley

75.6% 18.0% 5.5%Waterloo Region

88.5% 2.7%8.0%Woolwich

82.5% 5.4%11.3%Wilmot

81.6% 6.0%11.3%North Dumfries

79.5% 4.6%15.2%Waterloo

72.7% 5.9%20.5%Kitchener

71.3% 6.4%21.3%Cambridge

Couple Families Lone parent Families Step Families

Family Composition

Per cent of children and youth, by census family type, by area municipality, Waterloo Region, 2016

About 3 in 4 children and youth, or 75.6% in Waterloo Region lived with two biological or adopted parents. Approximately 18.0% of children and youth lived in lone parent families, and 5.5% lived in step families.

Definition: ‘Family’ refers to census family: a married, common-law couple, or lone parent of any maritalstatus with, if any, one or more children living with them in the same dwelling.vii Family composition data was not available for children aged 0 to 17 years of age. As such, 0 to 14 years is reported instead.

6 Children and Youth in Waterloo Region: A Demographic Profile

Definition: Market Basket Measure (MBM) is Canada’s Official Poverty Line. The MBM is a measure of low income which is based on the cost of a basket of goods and services that individuals and families require to meet their basic needs and achieve a modest standard of living.

Wherever individuals and families are living across the country, if they cannot afford the cost of this basket of goods and services in their particular community, they will be considered to be living below Canada's Official Poverty Line.viii

There are two other common measures of low-income status (Low Income Measures and Low Income Cut-Offs), which present slightly different results than the MBM.

$141,858

$113,541 $107,906

$134,700 $123,136

$132,864 $130,759$117,324

$53,236 $51,584$69,888

$59,093$68,352$65,237 $63,168

$54,070

NorthDumfries

Cambridge KitchenerWaterloo WellesleyWilmot Woolwich WaterlooRegion

$$$$$ $$$

$ $ $ $ $$ $ $

Lone Parent Census Families$Couple Census Families$

Children and Youth Living with Low Income

In 2015, the median total income for couple census families with children in Waterloo Region was $117,324 and was $54,070 for lone parent census families. Note that the data about median income is for census families with children of all ages. As such, the data also includes adult dependent children over age 17.

Family Income

Per cent of children and youth living with low income (MBM), by area municipality, Waterloo Region, 2015

Municipality Number Per cent

Kitchener 7,470 15.3%

Waterloo 2,495 12.3%

Cambridge 3,455 12.0%Woolwich 495 8.0%

Wellesley 280 7.8%

Wilmot 210 4.4%

North Dumfries 85 3.7%

Waterloo Region 14,485 12.6%

Children and Youth in Waterloo Region: A Demographic Profile 7

The 2016 census provides income information for families and individuals for the 2015 tax year. In 2015, 1 in 8 children and youth in Waterloo Region were living with low income. This is equal to 14,485 children and youth from 0 to 17 years of age living with low income in our community.

Median total income of couple census families with children and lone parent census families with children, by area municipality, Waterloo Region, 2015

Notes

i Region of Waterloo Public Health. ”Quick Stats.” Region of Waterloo. Last modified July 12, 2018. https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regional-government/resources/Reports-Plans--Data/Public-Health-and-Emergency-Services/QSLIVE_BIRTHS.pdf

ii Region of Waterloo Planning, Development, and Legislative Services. “Census Bulletin 2016: Ethnic origins, visible minorities and aboriginal peoples.” Region of Waterloo. Accessed December, 2018. https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regional-government/resources/Census/Census-Bulletin-7-Ethnic-Originis-visible-minorities-ACCESS.pdf

iii Ibid.

iv Statistics Canada. “Dictionary, Census of Population, 2016 Immigrant Status.” Statistics Canada. Last modified January 3, 2019. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/ref/dict/pop148-eng.cfm.

v Region of Waterloo. “Census Bulletin 2016: Ethnic origins, visible minorities and aboriginal peoples.”

vi Statistic Canada. “Visible Minority, National Household Survey (NHS) Dictionary.” Statistics Canada. Last modified January 4, 2016. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/ref/dict/pop127-eng.cfm.

vii Statistics Canada. “Dictionary, Census of Population, 2016 Census Family.” Statistics Canada. Last modified January 3, 2019. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/ref/dict/fam004-eng.cfm.

viii Statistics Canada. “Measuring low income and Canada’s Official Poverty Line.” Statistics Canada. Last modified February 1, 2019. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/consultation/mbm.

Published January 31, 2019Learn more about the Children and Youth Planning Table

www.childrenandyouthplanningtable.ca