Fort Frances has grown older

The median age of the population of Fort Frances has grown older over the last five years, according to new information from the 2001 census released today by Statistics Canada.
When the census data was collected in May, 2001, the median age of Fort Frances was 40.2. The median age from the 1996 census was 36.2.
Statistics Canada defines median age as the point where exactly one half of the population is older than the median age and the other half is younger.
The median age for Ontario in 2001 was 37.2. Five years ago, the provincial median age was 35.2.
The new census data also shows Canada’s median age was 37.6 in 2001, compared with 35.3 in the 1996 census.
The increase in the median age is one of many indicators that the country’s population is aging—a development that demographers warn will have future implications on Canada’s labour force, economy, social services, and health care systems.
On a national level, the census indicates Canadian seniors—those aged 65 and older—now make up 13.0 percent of the total population. Five years ago, seniors represented just 12.2 percent of population.
In 1981, 9.7 percent of Canada’s population was seniors and in 1961, it was 7.6 percent.
Besides more seniors, there also has been a decrease in the number of children under the age of five across the country. The new census data shows children under five represent 5.7 percent of the national population, compared with 6.6 percent in 1996.
At the provincial level, the senior population increased to 12.9 percent in 2001 from 12.4 percent from the previous census. Those under the age of five decreased to 5.9 percent from 6.8 percent.
Saskatchewan had the highest proportion of seniors among all Canadian provinces and territories, with those 65 and over making up 15.1 percent of the population.
The breakdown for other provinces and territories: Manitoba (14.0 percent), Nova Scotia (13.9), Prince Edward Island (13.7), New Brunswick (13.6), British Columbia (13.6), Quebec (13.3), Ontario (12.9), Newfoundland and Labrador (12.3), Alberta (10.4), Yukon (6.0), Northwest Territories (4.4), and Nunavut (2.2).
Nunavut had the highest proportion of children under the age of five (12.5 percent), followed by the Northwest Territories (8.0), Alberta (6.3), Manitoba (6.3), Saskatchewan (6.2), Ontario (5.9), the Yukon (5.9), Prince Edward Island (5.6); British Columbia (5.3); New Brunswick (5.2); Nova Scotia (5.2), Quebec (5.2), and Newfoundland and Labrador (4.8).
The new census data released today also breaks down the population by gender. In 2001, the population of Fort Frances was made up of 4,330 females (a change of -5.6 percent from the 1996 census) and 3,985 males (a change of -5.2 percent).
The census is conducted every five years by Statistics Canada and is based on information filled out by Canadians on Census Day on May 15, 2001.
The data released today on age and gender follows information on overall population growth released last March.
Future census information to be released by Statistics Canada over the coming months will give demographic breakdowns of a variety of topics, including marital status, language, immigration, labour force activity, education, and religion.