Lower Mainland and southern Vancouver Island

More than two-thirds of British Columbia's population is concentrated in the Lower Mainland and southern Vancouver Island region. This region had a population of just over 2.7 million people in 2001, up 7.3% from 1996. It accounted for 69% of B.C.'s total, and 9% of the nation's population.

This region consists of the urban centres of Vancouver, Abbotsford and Chilliwack on the mainland, and Victoria, Duncan, Nanaimo and Parksville on Vancouver Island. As in the case of the Golden Horseshoe, the main component of growth was international immigration. For example, more than 180,000 immigrants settled in the census metropolitan area of Vancouver from 1996 to 2001, a rate of 18 new immigrants a year for every 1,000 population, similar to the rate in Toronto. The second most important component of growth was natural increase.

There was a significant difference in growth between the Lower Mainland and southern Vancouver Island. The population of the Lower Mainland grew 8.3% and southern Vancouver Island increased 2.7%. The southern Vancouver Island region, one of Canada's more popular retirement areas, attracted few immigrants and its natural increase was low because its population is older.

Surrey, Richmond, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge and New Westminster each grew 10% or more between 1996 and 2001.

The Okanagan Valley and Kamloops region were the only other parts of British Columbia to incur significant growth. With a population of fewer than 9,000, Whistler was the only B.C. municipality among the 25 fastest-growing municipalities. Its population increased 24% between 1996 and 2001, down substantially from a rate of 61% between 1991 and 1996 when it was the nation's fastest growing municipality.

The rest of British Columbia experienced no change in population.