Photo by Whitehorse Star
Gary Brown
Census figures very different from Yukon data
The first of the 2021 census figures are out – and there’s a considerable discrepancy with the official Yukon figures.
The first of the 2021 census figures are out – and there’s a considerable discrepancy with the official Yukon figures.
According to a report from the Yukon Bureau of Statistics, in the territory, the 2021 Census of Population enumerated 40,232 individuals on May 11, 2021.
That’s in contrast with the May 2021 figures from the Yukon government, which showed the population as 43,568.
Going by the census figures, the Yukon has fewer people than the Northwest Territories, which hasn’t been the case since before the creation of Nunavut.
There’s also a considerable discrepancy in the population of Whitehorse between the census and local figures.
The local figures have Whitehorse at 33,871 people, while the census numbers show 28,201 people.
Gary Brown, the head statistician with the territorial bureau, said last week he wasn’t surprised at the news.
“This happens every census,” he said, with his shrug almost visible over the telephone. “Our census numbers are always out.”
He said the Yukon government will now go back-and-forth with Stats for approximately a year to tidy the numbers up and reconcile them to more accurate levels.
All of the territories have similar problems with the census, Brown explained.
A large part of that is due to the seasonal timing of the census.
Since it’s carried out in the spring, many people are already on the land or working in the bush, and don’t have access to Internet service or even mail on a regular basis.
“We’re a small population in a vast geographic area. There’s usually about a five per cent discrepancy in the numbers with the census.”
According to the report, the 2021 Census enumerated 36,991,981 people across Canada.
The Yukon’s population grew 12.1 per cent in 2021 compared to the 2016 census. This rate was above the national average (5.2 per cent).
The Yukon’s population growth rate of 12.1 per cent was the highest in the country, followed by Prince Edward Island (8.0 per cent), British Columbia (7.6 per cent), and Ontario (5.8 per cent).
By the census figures, Dawson City has a population of 1,577 people.
Watson Lake is at 1,133.
Haines Junction has 688 people, while Carmacks has 588.
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Comments (16)
Up 15 Down 9
Groucho d'North on Feb 16, 2022 at 9:28 am
How many of these new Yukoners were sponsored by the federal government who put them here without first creating housing options for them? The local housing market was already strained and of course our government knew this when the agreements were made.
Statistics: The only science that enables different experts using the same figures to draw different conclusions.
Up 17 Down 6
Groucho d'North on Feb 15, 2022 at 4:34 pm
Try to find how many federally sponsored immigrants were brought to the Yukon. This is not easy data to find for some reason. There's lots of self-congratulatory stories about Yukon's economy being in dire need of new workers and how the governments are working to address this matter by increasing the number of new Yukoners to our population. They don't talk about the impact felt in the housing sector either.
Up 15 Down 7
Politico on Feb 15, 2022 at 2:24 pm
@Data Nerd Thanks for the rational explanation but it will unfortunately be lost on the complainers here.
@ melba The same reason people, like me, move anywhere, jobs!
@Holy F@%k Population is going down? Then why are they building all those houses?
Up 18 Down 4
Erwin Glock on Feb 15, 2022 at 12:49 pm
@ melba - Why? Government jobs/City of Whitehorse jobs (the biggest employers in the Yukon). They are coming not for the minimum wage jobs.
Up 31 Down 2
melba on Feb 15, 2022 at 10:46 am
A 12% growth rate is insane. No wonder thousands of people do not have a doctor, and housing prices are leaping upward every month. I am very curious to know why so many people are moving to the Yukon.
Up 22 Down 2
Data Nerd on Feb 15, 2022 at 9:49 am
You're not comparing apples to apples. The YBS stat your quote of 33,871 is for the Greater Whitehorse area, which includes Marsh Lake and up to Fox Lake, down to and including Annie Lake Road, and west to and including Mendenhall (See https://yukon.ca/sites/yukon.ca/files/ybs/populationq1_2021.pdf), while the Census data is only for the City of Whitehorse municipal area. The YBS data for the City of Whitehorse is actually 29,954, only 1,753 more people, which can be accounted for by the seasonal timing of the Census as referenced as well as the approx. 2.4% undercount that is not applied to the Census numbers (approx. 700 people), therefore the difference is really only 1,000 people.
Please correct this misrepresentation of the data.
Up 8 Down 13
iBrian on Feb 15, 2022 at 4:20 am
@Matthew
Hahahhahaha, no doubt eh!! Ahh, that was a great one, thanks for the morning chuckle.
Up 22 Down 5
North_of_60 on Feb 14, 2022 at 8:25 pm
According to the Yukon Bureau of Statistics the discrepancy between the Fed and Yukon numbers is because in May 3,336 "people are already on the land or working in the bush, and don’t have access to Internet service or even mail on a regular basis."
ROFL
Up 9 Down 5
jack on Feb 14, 2022 at 7:48 pm
The Yukon has never had a larger population than the NWT, before or after creation of Nunavut. Has always had fewer people than NWT......but not for long!
Up 16 Down 17
@ Holy Fk on Feb 14, 2022 at 4:42 pm
I like your comment lol... a dysfunctional sh*thole at its finest!
Up 10 Down 13
bonanzajoe on Feb 14, 2022 at 4:35 pm
Then why do the census in the spring when so many people are unavailable. Why not do the census in the winter? Duhhh
Up 24 Down 22
What a Joke on Feb 14, 2022 at 4:14 pm
Just more government incompetency, the Yukon and federal governments can’t even get their population numbers straight over a small jurisdiction yet we’re supposed to trust them to inject substances into our bodies. What a dysfunctional mess the territorial and federal governments are.
Up 16 Down 6
Charlie's Aunt on Feb 14, 2022 at 4:05 pm
Although everyone was obliged to complete the census and efforts were made to trace those who didn't, it is well known that throughout history there have always been some who do not submit their forms. It would be unusual if numbers matched exactly and there will always be a difference.
Up 18 Down 9
Juniper Jackson on Feb 14, 2022 at 3:47 pm
To those who would like to leave, because the cold was a surprise, or there isn't any high buck jobs, or housing..or they just don't like it here.. be safe, be happy, adios amigos!
Up 60 Down 49
Holy F@%k on Feb 14, 2022 at 1:45 pm
The population is definitely going down and not up as people are realizing that the Yukon is a complete dysfunctional sh**hole.
Up 62 Down 37
Matthew on Feb 14, 2022 at 1:42 pm
"The local figures have Whitehorse at 33,871 people, while the census numbers show 28,201 people."
5000 missing people!? Maybe this was part of the 6000 that votes liberal.. because I sure can't find any right now..