News Bulletin May 16, 2013
National Household Survey 2011 Data Release #1:
Aboriginal Peoples, Immigration and Ethno-cultural Diversity Statistics Canada released the first set of data figures of the 2011 National Household Survey on May 8, 2013. The release included the topics of Aboriginal peoples, and immigration and ethno-cultural diversity. The following are highlights of the results for the census subdivision of Hamilton, Ontario.
Aboriginal Peoples Growth in Aboriginal population:
Aboriginal Identity Population
10, 320 people in Hamilton reported Hamilton, Ontario had an Aboriginal identity in 2011, 10,320 7,625 6,270 representing approximately 2% of the total population (Aboriginal identity 2001 2006 2011 refers to whether the person reported Source: Statistics Canada, being an Aboriginal person, and/or being a Registered or Treaty Censuses and NHS Indian and/or being member of a First Nation or Indian Band).
The Aboriginal identity population has grown almost 65% in the past ten years.
Aboriginal population growth is driven by youth:
In general, the Aboriginal population in Canada is younger than the non-Aboriginal population. In Hamilton, Aboriginal children aged 14 and under represented 28.7% of the total Aboriginal population, while non-Aboriginal children aged 14 and under accounted for 16.5% of the nonaboriginal population.
Immigration and Ethno-cultural Diversity Hamilton has a slightly less concentration of immigrants than Ontario:
Almost a quarter of Hamilton’s population was foreign born in 2011, compared to 28.5% of Ontario’s population.
Recent immigrants (those who came to Canada between 2006 and 2011) made up almost 12% of the immigrants in Hamilton.
Toronto is a magnet for immigrants, home to 35% of immigrants living in Ontario
% of Total Population
Percentage of Non-Immigrants and Immigrants Hamilton and Ontario, 2011 80 60 Hamilton
40
Ontario
20 0 Non-Immigrants
Immigrants
Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 NHS
Citizenship and Immigration Canada paints a slightly different picture 
Citizenship and Immigration Canada recorded an intake of 18,563 permanent residents over the past 5 years, while NHS reported 14,820 recent immigrants living in Hamilton.

CIC data pertains to new permanent residents to Canada, but does not take into account secondary migration (meaning individuals may move outside of Hamilton once they land).
Permanent Residents
2007 3,680
2008 3,806
2009 3,778
2010 4,003
2011 3,296
Total 18,563
Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada Facts and Figures
Workforce Implications While labour-specific data will not be released until June 26, 2013, typically immigrants and Aboriginal peoples face obstacles in the labour market. Both the Aboriginal and newcomer communities tend to have higher levels of unemployment compared to the general population. With an increased population of people with an Aboriginal identity, it is important to ensure these individuals are able to find suitable employment in the Hamilton community. Newcomers to Canada also face high levels of underemployment, poorer outcomes for women, and lower employment incomes. While the NHS revealed that the percentage of visible minorities in Hamilton stayed consistent at 14% from 2006 to 2011, previously it went up by more than 50% from 1996 to 2006. The number of new immigrants coming to Hamilton has remained strong, with Citizenship and Immigration Canada reporting over 18,000 new permanent residents since 2007. About the National Household Survey The 2011 voluntary National Household Survey replaced the cancelled mandatory long form census. The NHS is a sample survey, with a random sample of 4.5 million dwellings selected for the NHS. The response rate was 68.6% for Canada, which is similar to the response rate for other voluntary surveys conducted by Statistics Canada. However, the less detailed survey may make it difficult for small areas to get a clear sense of the results. Caution should be observed when comparing the NHS to previous censuses as many comparisons can only be made reliably at a national or provincial level. For more information visit Statistics Canada’s website www.statcan.gc.ca Future Data Release Dates: June 26, 2013: Education and Labour, Mobility and Migration August 14, 2013: Income and Housing