Ward Profiles contain information from Statistics Canada Census of Population, which is conducted every five years. The Ward Profiles provide demographic information on population by age, households and dwelling types, families, language group, household tenure and period of construction; immigration, mobility, ethnic origin and visible minorities; education and labour force; income and shelter cost. Learn more about the Census data.
The 25 Ward Profiles listed below reflect the latest demographic information available from the 2021 Census, for the 2022-2026 term of City Council. Each Ward page provides the Ward Profile plus construction notices, road classifications and apartment building audits.
These Ward Profiles were prepared by the Planning Research and Analytics Unit of the Strategic Initiatives, Policy and Analysis Section of the City Planning Division. Based on custom tabulations of Statistics Canada’s 2021, 2016 and 2011 Censuses, these Profiles provide a portrait of the demographic, social and economic characteristics of the people and households in each City Ward. As a result of rounding, totals may differ slight from table to table and percentages may not add up to one hundred. For more information, please go to the Census Glossary tabs at the top of the page.
It is important to note that the 2021 Census was conducted during the public health restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparing 2021 Census results to 2016 Census results may not accurately provide a basis for interpreting trends. Some measures, such as those pertaining to employment, citizenship, household composition, commuting, and expenditures, may reflect anomalous circumstances associated with pandemic-related public health measures and economic impacts rather than long-term trends.
Information on the availability of Census of Canada data can be obtained by Statistics Canada, by email at infostats@statcan.gc.ca or its toll-free access number 1-800-263-1136.
Revision, July 2024: The 2011 and 2016 population totals were revised to the population in private occupied households to correspond to the 2016 and 2021 statistics. The revision affected population percentage increases on pages 4, 9 and 10, and the calculations of demographic dependency ratios on page 11.
The information in these Ward Profiles is adapted from the Statistics Canada 2021, 2016 and 2011 Census of Population. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Information collected in the Census of Population is meant to reflect a person’s situation on a particular reference day unless the questions specify otherwise. The reference day is chosen in the spring to maximize the number of people who are at home prior to the summer. The 2021 Census reference day is May 11, 2021. As the 2021 Census collected information during the COVID-19 pandemic, comparing 2021 Census data to 2016 Census data may not accurately provide a basis for interpreting trends. Some measures, such as those pertaining to employment, citizenship, household composition, commuting, and expenditures, may reflect anomalous circumstances associated with pandemic-related public health measures and economic impacts rather than long-term trends.
The 2021 Census did not include any questions specifically related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Information about the receipt of COVID-19 benefits was obtained by Statistics Canada directly from Canada Revenue Agency. Statistics Canada notes that despite COVID-19 pandemic-related challenges with data collection, the national response rate for the 2021 Census was 96.9 per cent for the short-form and 95.7 per cent for the long-form questionnaire. This is compared to similar response rates in 2016 of 97.4 per cent and 96.9 per cent, respectively.
In 2021, the classification of households was changed, and comparable information is not yet available for 2016 from Statistics Canada. Also see the Household type definition in the Glossary.
The Ward Profiles are based on a series of custom tabulations from the 2021, 2016 and 2011 Census of Population from Statistics Canada. The 2021 and 2016 custom tabulations are based on the long-form Census questionnaire.
The City of Toronto totals refer to the municipal boundary of the City of Toronto. The City of Toronto municipal boundary corresponds to the Census geography referred to as the Toronto Census Division (Toronto CD, 3520) and the Toronto Census Subdivision (Toronto CSD, 3520005).
The 2021 Ward Profile custom tabulations are based on the long-form questionnaire, i.e. the 25 per cent sample of the population in private households who received the long-form questionnaire. The custom tabulations provide data for the Wards and Toronto. The Toronto totals included in the Ward Profiles are based on the custom tabulations. As a result, it is possible that Toronto totals referenced in other documents may have slight variances in reported totals when compared to the Ward Profiles. This is because the Ward Profiles are based on the Census long-form questionnaire. Other documents may report City of Toronto totals based on the short-form Census questionnaire which uses a different sampling and survey approach.
The figures shown in the tables have been subjected to a confidentiality procedure known as “random rounding” by Statistics Canada, wherein each of the numbers is randomly rounded up or down by 5 or 10. This is intended to prevent the possibility of associating these data with any identifiable individual. The totals of each table are the sum of the individual population characteristics in that table as provided by Statistics Canada, each of which may have been randomly rounded. As a result, due to random rounding, the totals for any one table may vary from the total population count for that area as reported by Statistics Canada. The total population or households reported in the Ward Profile tables may also vary from table to table, as each total is a sum of the individual population or household characteristics of that particular table.
As in 2016, the 2021 Census gathered income data solely from the Canada Revenue Agency’s tax and benefit records rather than asking Census participants to self-report their income levels. The reference period for income data is the calendar year 2020.
The 2021 Census provided data on the category of admission and applicant type of immigrants using records from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) and, for the first time, included information on immigration status and year of immigration from this source.
Regarding the measurement of racialized groups, Statistics Canada has stated that “as part of ongoing efforts to modernize the national statistical system, the ‘visible minorities’ standard is currently under review. Statistics Canada has committed to consulting partners, stakeholders, and the general public to establish a suitable terminology and classification to describe the population and to meet data needs. To date, Statistics Canada has received feedback on the sensitivity and use of the term ‘visible minorities’ when disseminating data. A number of alternative terms have been proposed by stakeholders. A commonly proposed alternative is ‘racialized groups,’ with various definitions and classifications.” Please visit the Centre for Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Statistics hub on Statistics Canada’s website for more details. Also see the Visible Minority definition in the Glossary.
The 2021 Census of Population introduces the concept of gender for the first time and makes the distinction between sex at birth and gender. Sex at birth and gender refer to two different concepts but are interrelated. While sex at birth is primarily understood in terms of physical and biological features such as chromosomes, genitals, and hormones, gender is a multidimensional concept that is influenced by several additional factors, including cultural and behavioural norms and self-identity. Also see the Gender definition in the Glossary.
Statistics Canada Catalogue No. 98-301-X 2021001 Dictionary Census of Population, 2021
Statistics Canada Catalogue No. 98-304-X2021001 Guide to the Census of Population, 2021
The population universe (target population) of the 2021 Census includes the following groups:
For Census purposes, these last three groups of people are referred to as ‘non-permanent residents.’ They have been included since 1991. Foreign residents are excluded from the population universe. Foreign residents are persons who belong to the following groups:
The institutional population refers to persons who live in an institutional collective dwelling, such as a hospital, a nursing home, or a prison. This includes residents under care or custody (e.g. patients or inmates) or employee residents and family members living with them, if any. This population group is not included in the 2021 Ward Profiles.
The population in private households is the applicable population for all 2021 Ward Profile topics based on the 2021 Census long-form questionnaire.
Ages refer to the age at last birthday before the reference date, that is, before May 11, 2021. This variable is derived from date of birth.
The median age is an age ‘x’, such that exactly one half of the population is older than ‘x’ and the other half is younger than ‘x’.
The total demographic dependency ratio is the ratio of the combined youth population (0 to 14 years) and senior population (65 or older) to the working-age population (15 to 64 years). It is expressed as the combined number of youth and seniors for every 100 working age people. The demographic dependency ratio is based on age rather than employment status. It does not account for young people or seniors who are working, nor for working-aged people who are unemployed or not in the labour force. It merely reflects population age structure and is not meant to diminish the contributions made by people outside the range of 15-64 years.
The dwelling structure type refers to structural characteristics that define a dwelling, for example, the characteristics of a single-detached house, a semi-detached house, a row house, or an apartment or flat in a duplex.
For comparative purposes due to the reclassification of dwelling types in the 2006 Census, the Census dwelling structure data types were re-grouped into two dwelling structure types in the graphic highlight pages:
Period of Construction
The period of construction refers to the period of time during which the building or dwelling was originally constructed. This refers to the period in which the building was originally built, not the time of any later remodelling, additions, or conversions.
Private Dwellings
The private dwellings occupied by usual residents universe is composed of variables which pertain to characteristics of dwellings. Dwellings are distinct from households. Dwelling characteristics refer to the physical attributes of a set of living quarters, whereas household characteristics pertain to the person or the group of persons (other than foreign residents) who occupy a private dwelling and do not have a usual place of residence elsewhere in Canada.
Tenure
Tenure refers to whether the household owns or rents their private dwelling, or whether the dwelling is band housing (on an Indian reserve or settlement).
Condominium Status
The condominium status refers to whether the private dwelling is part of a condominium development. A condominium is a residential complex in which dwellings are owned individually while land and common elements are held in joint ownership with others.
A private household refers to a person or group of persons who occupy the same dwelling and do not have a usual place of residence elsewhere in Canada or abroad. Household variables are distinct from dwelling variables in that the latter ones pertain to dwelling characteristics, not to persons occupying the dwelling.
Household size refers to the number of persons occupying a private dwelling. One household occupies one dwelling unit. One household may be made up of zero, one, or multiple census families.
A household refers to either a person living alone, or a group of persons living together occupying the same dwelling. There are two categories: non-family households and family households.
The households type data is based on the long-form Census questionnaire; however, in 2021, Statistics Canada changed the definition of multigenerational households. Previously, multigenerational households represented all households where there is at least one person who is both the grandparent of a person in the household and the parent of another person in the same household. In 2021, the definition was expanded to include all households where there is at least one person who is both the child of a person in the household and the grandchild of another person in the same household. As a result, multigenerational households in 2021 include some households that were classified in 2016 as single-family households with additional persons as well as others that were previously classified as multiple-family households. Therefore, the different sub-types of family households are not comparable between 2021 and previous censuses.
Refers to the first person residing in a household identified on the census questionnaire as responsible for paying the rent, or the mortgage, or the taxes, or the electricity or other services or utilities. Where a number of people may contribute to the payments, more than one person in the household may be identified as a household maintainer.
The age refers to the age at last birthday before the reference date, May 11, 2021.
Refers to the classification of Census families into married couples (with or without children of either and/or both spouses), common-law couples (with or without children of either and/or both partners), and lone-parent families by sex of parent.
A couple may be of opposite or same sex. A couple with children may be further classified as either an intact family or stepfamily and stepfamilies may, in turn, be classified as simple or complex. Children in a Census family include grandchildren living with their grandparent(s) but with no parents present.
Census family composition (families by number of children)
Refers to the classification of Census families (that is, married or common-law couples, with or without children, and lone parents with at least one child) by the number and/or age group of children living at home. A couple may be of opposite or same sex.
A couple with children may be further classified as either an intact family or stepfamily and stepfamilies may, in turn, be classified as simple or complex. Children in a Census family include grandchildren living with their grandparent(s) but with no parents present.
Generation status refers to whether the person or the person’s parents were born in Canada. It identifies persons as being first generation, second generation or third generation or more. Generation status is derived from responses to questions concerning the person’s place of birth and the place of birth of his or her parents. Within the generation status variable, the three main categories are defined as follows:
Immigrant status refers to whether the respondent is a non-immigrant, an immigrant, or a non-permanent resident.
The recent immigrant category refers to an immigrant who first obtained their landed immigrant or permanent resident status between January 1, 2016, and May 11, 2021.
The immigrant admission category refers to the name of the immigration program or group of programs under which an immigrant has been granted for the first time the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Data on admission category are available for immigrants who landed in Canada between January 1, 1980, and May 11, 2021.
The immigration applicant type refers to whether an immigrant was identified as the principal applicant, the spouse, or the dependant on the application for permanent residence.
The mobility status refers to information provided indicating whether the person lived in the same residence on the reference day, May 11, 2021, as they did one year before, May 11, 2020. There are therefore “movers” and “non-movers.” There are different types of movers: people who moved within the same city or town (non-migrants), people who moved to a different city or town (internal migrants) and people who came from another country to live in Canada (external migrants).
The mobility status refers to information provided indicating whether the person lived in the same residence on the reference day, May 11, 2021, as he or she did five years before, May 11, 2016. There are therefore “movers” and “non-movers.” There are different types of movers: people who moved within the same city or town (non-migrants), people who moved to a different city or town (internal migrants) and people who came from another country to live in Canada (external migrants).
The period of immigration refers to the period in which the immigrant first obtained his or her landed immigrant/permanent resident status.
A landed immigrant/permanent resident is a person who has been granted the right to live permanently in Canada by immigration authorities. Some immigrants have resided in Canada for several years, while others have arrived recently. Some immigrants are Canadian citizens, while others are not. Most immigrants are born outside Canada, but a small number are born in Canada. In the 2021 Census, ‘Immigrants’ includes immigrants who landed in Canada on or prior to May 11, 2021.
The place of birth refers to the name of the province, territory, or country in which the person was born. It may refer to a province or territory if the person was born in Canada. It refers to a country if the person was born outside Canada. The geographic location is specified according to boundaries current at the time the data are collected, not the boundaries at the time of birth.
Indigenous ancestry refers to whether a person has ancestry associated with the Indigenous peoples of Canada, that is, First Nations (North American Indian), Métis, and/or Inuit. Aboriginal peoples (referred to here as Indigenous peoples) of Canada are defined in the Constitution Act, 1982, Section 35 (2) as including the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada. The term ‘Aboriginal’ has been replaced with the updated term of ‘Indigenous’ when referring to individuals who identify themselves as First Nations people, Métis and/or Inuit. Ancestry refers to the ethnic or cultural origins of the person’s ancestors, an ancestor being usually more distant than a grandparent. A person can have more than one ethnic or cultural origin and can have one or multiple Indigenous ancestries.
Indigenous identity refers to whether the person identifies as Indigenous peoples of Canada. This includes those who identify as First Nations (North American Indian), Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), and/or those who report being Registered or Treaty Indians (that is, registered under the Indian Act of Canada), and/or those who have membership in a First Nation or Indian band. This is a derived variable from the responses to census questions pertaining to Indigenous group, Registered or Treaty Indian status and membership in a First Nation or Indian band.
The Registered or Treaty Indian status refers to whether a person is a Registered or Treaty Indian. Registered Indians are persons who are registered under the Indian Act of Canada. Treaty Indians are persons who belong to a First Nation or Indian band that signed a treaty with the Crown. Registered or Treaty Indians are sometimes also called Status Indians.
Ethnic or cultural origin refers to the ethnic or cultural origins of the respondent’s ancestors. Ancestors may have Indigenous origins, origins that refer to different countries or other origins that may not refer to different countries.
The sum of the ethnic or cultural origins in this table is greater than the total population estimate because a person may report more than one ethnic or cultural origin in the census.
Visible minority refers to whether a person belongs to a visible minority group as defined by the Employment Equity Act and, if so, the visible minority group to which the person belongs. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as ‘persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.’ The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Arab, Latin American, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean, and Japanese. Note that for data collection, neither the Census question nor the harmonized question on population groups for social surveys include the term “visible minorities.” See the note on Visible Minorities for further discussion.
A person’s mother tongue refers to the first language learned at home in childhood and still understood by the individual at the time of the Census.
Languages spoken most often at home
The language spoken most often at home refers to the language spoken most often or on a regular basis at home by the individual at the time of the Census. A person can report more than one language as “spoken most often at home” if the languages are spoken equally often.
The highest certificate, diploma or degree includes information indicating the person’s most advanced educational qualifications. This is a derived variable obtained from the educational qualifications’ questions, which asked for all certificates, diplomas, and degrees to be reported. The general hierarchy used in deriving this variable (high school graduation, trades, college, university) is loosely tied to the “in-class” duration of the various types of education.
At the detailed level, someone who has completed one type of certificate, diploma or degree will not necessarily have completed the credentials listed below it in the hierarchy. For example, a registered apprenticeship graduate may not have completed a high school certificate or diploma, nor does an individual with a master’s degree necessarily have a ‘certificate or diploma above the bachelor’s level.’ Although the hierarchy may not fit all programs perfectly, it gives a general measure of educational attainment. The following qualifications are to be noted:
Employed persons are those who, during the week of Sunday, May 2 to Saturday, May 8, 2021:
The labour force refers to persons who were employed or unemployed during the week of Sunday, May 2 to Saturday, May 8, 2021. The number of Employed persons and the Unemployed persons are added together to equate to the Labour force.
The population not in the labour force refers to the number of persons who, during the week Sunday, May 2 to Saturday, May 8, 2021, were neither employed nor unemployed.
Occupation refers to the kind of work performed by persons during the week of Sunday, May 2 to Saturday, May 8, 2021, as determined by the description of the main activities in their job. The 2021 Census occupation data are produced according to the NOC 2021 Version 1.0. The 2016 Census occupation data are produced according to the NOC 2016.
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0 is composed of five levels of aggregation. There are 10 broad occupational categories containing 45 major groups that are further subdivided into 89 sub-major groups and 162 minor groups. At the most detailed level, there are 516 occupation unit groups. Occupation unit groups are formed based on the education, training, or skill level required to enter the job, as well as the kind of work performed, as determined by the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of the occupation. Statistics Canada have provided a NOC concordance table that shows the relationship between NOC 2016 and NOC 2021.
Industry refers to the general nature of the business carried out in the establishment where the person worked. The 2021 Census industry data are produced according to the NAICS 2017 Version 3.0. The 2016 Census was coded to NAICS 2012. Statistics Canada have provided a concordance table that shows the relationship between NAICS 2012 and NAICS 2017 Version 2.0, and NAICS 2017 Version 2.0 and NAICS 2017 Version 3.0 only for those areas of the classification which have changed in terms of structure and content.
The NAICS provides enhanced industry comparability among the three North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) trading partners (Canada, United States and Mexico). This classification consists of a systematic and comprehensive arrangement of industries structured into 20 sectors, 102 subsectors and 324 industry groups. The criteria used to create these categories are similarity of input structures, labour skills or production processes used by the establishment.
The labour participation rate refers to the labour force in the week of Sunday, May 2 to Saturday, May 8, 2021, expressed as a percentage of the population aged 15 years and over. The participation rate for a particular group (age, sex, marital status, geographic area, etc.) is the total labour force in that group, expressed as a percentage of the total population in that group.
The place of work classification categorizes the employed population according to whether they worked at home, worked outside Canada, had no fixed workplace address, or worked at a specific address (usual place of work) during the week of Sunday, May 2 to Saturday, May 8, 2021.
The unemployed population refers to persons who, during the week of Sunday, May 2 to Saturday, May 8, 2021, were without paid work or without self-employment work and were available for work and either:
The unemployment rate refers to the unemployed population expressed as a percentage of the labour force in the week of Sunday, May 2 to Saturday, May 8, 2021.
Total income refers to the total income from all sources, including employment income, income from government programs, pension income, investment income and any other money income. Total income refers to monetary receipts from certain sources, before income taxes and deductions, during the calendar year 2020.
It includes employment income from wages, salaries, tips, commissions and net income from self-employment (for both unincorporated farm and non-farm activities); income from government sources, such as social assistance, child benefits, Employment Insurance, Old Age Security pension, Canada or Quebec Pension Plan benefits and disability income; income from employer and personal pension sources, such as private pensions and payments from annuities and RRIFs; income from investment sources, such as dividends and interest on bonds, accounts, GICs and mutual funds; and other regular cash income, such as child support payments received, spousal support payments (alimony) received and scholarships. The monetary receipts included are those that tend to be of a regular and recurring nature.
It excludes one-time receipts, such as: lottery winnings, gambling winnings, cash inheritances, lump sum insurance settlements, capital gains, TFSA and RRSP withdrawals. Capital gains are excluded because they are not by their nature regular and recurring. It is further assumed that they are less likely to be fully spent in the period in which they are received, unlike income that is regular and recurring. Also excluded are employer’s contributions to registered pension plans, Canada and Quebec Pension Plans, and Employment Insurance. Finally, voluntary inter-household transfers, imputed rent, goods, and services produced for barter, and goods produced for own consumption are excluded from this total income definition.
The total income of a household is the sum of the total incomes of all members of that household.
Average income of households refers to the sum of total incomes in 2020 of households divided by the total number of households. Average incomes of households are calculated for all households, whether or not they had income.
Average income of individuals refers to the dollar amount obtained by adding up the total income of all individuals aged 15 years and over who reported income for 2020 and dividing this sum by the number of individuals with income.
The median income of a specified group is the amount that divides the income distribution of that group into two halves, i.e. the incomes of half of the units in that group are below the median, while those of the other half are above the median. Median incomes of individuals are calculated for those with income (positive or negative).
The composition of the total income of a population group or a geographic area refers to the relative share of each income source or group of sources, expressed as a percentage of the aggregate total income of that group or area.
Gender refers to an individual’s personal and social identity as a man, woman, or non‑binary person (a person who is not exclusively a man or a woman). A person’s gender may differ from their sex at birth, and from what is indicated on their current identification or legal documents such as their birth certificate, passport, or driver’s licence. A person’s gender may change over time. Some people may not identify with a specific gender. Information pertaining to gender is collected according to three options: male, female and a write-in option, “or please specify this person’s gender.” It is collected for the total population, including for children aged 14 and younger. Statistics Canada notes that data aggregation to a two-category gender variable will sometimes be necessary to protect the confidentiality of responses provided. For the Ward Profiles, gender data was disseminated using the two-category gender variables “Men+” and “Women+”. Please visit the Centre for Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion Statistics hub on Statistics Canada’s website for further details. Also see the note on Gender for further discussion.
Low-income refers to whether an individual, family, or households has an income below a specific low-income line. Low-income in 2020 is based on after-tax low-income measure (LIM-AT). The Low-income measure after tax (LIM-AT) is a fixed percentage (50 per cent) of median adjusted after-tax income of households observed at the person level, where ‘adjusted’ indicates that a household’s needs are considered. Adjustment for household sizes reflects the fact that a household’s needs increase as the number of members increase, although not necessarily by the same proportion per additional member. The threshold of income varies based on the size of a household. For 2020, the LIM-AT threshold is $26,503 for a one-person household, $37,480 for a two-person household, and $53,005 for a four-person household.
Shelter-cost-to-income ratio is calculated for private households living in owned or rented dwellings who reported a total household income greater than zero. Shelter-cost-to-income ratio refers to the proportion of average total income of household which is spent on shelter costs. Shelter cost refers to the average monthly total of all shelter expenses paid by households that own or rent their dwelling in the twelve months prior to the census.
The relatively high shelter costs to household income ratios for some households may have resulted from the difference in the reference period for shelter costs and household total income data. The reference period for shelter cost data is 2021, while household total income is reported for the year 2020. As well, for some households, the 2020 household total income may represent income for only part of a year.
For more information, see:
Statistics Canada Catalogue No. 98-301-X 2021001 Dictionary Census of Population, 2021
Statistics Canada Catalogue No. 98-304-X2021001 Guide to the Census of Population, 2021
The data upon which the Ward Profiles are based is now available in Excel workbook format on the Open Data Catalogue.
The 2021 Census Profiles are the second set of Ward Profiles published for the 25-Ward Model. A set of Ward Profiles was previously published for the 2016 Census.
Census profiles are also available for the former 44-Ward Model (2014-2018 term of City Council) and the 47-Ward Model (proposed through the Toronto Ward Boundary Review and voted in favour of by City Council for the 2018-2022 term, but not implemented).