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Community Profile

​​Immigration in Simcoe County​

Immigration Overview

Immigration has been a key aspect in Canada's history and will continue to be important to build a vibrant and prosperous country. Simcoe County has a unique history of immigration. In the future, immigrants will play an integral role in shaping and enhancing Simcoe County's economy and labour force.

Prospective immigrants are selected and screened based on specific program eligibility:

  • Availability to contribute to the economy
  • Specific skill(s) and education attainment
  • Familial connections; and
  • Seeking refugee and re-settlement support

More than 85 per cent of immigrants proceed to become Canadian citizens (Source: CIC media release 2014​). Obtaining citizenship provides immigrants the same rights and responsibilities as natural-born Canadians and they become active members of the community.

Simcoe County Community Profile

Simcoe County is divided into 16 municipalities, as well as the two partner cities of Barrie and Orillia.

The population of the County of Simcoe has been growing, and is projected to grow even larger. The current population is 479,650, and by 2031 is projected to grow to 667,000

(Source: Statistics Canada for 1996-2010 and Ontario Ministry of Finance Projections (Spring 2011): Population Estimates and Projections for the Census Division of Simcoe, 1996-2036).

Changing Demographics

  • The Ministry of Finance has identified that the majority of the projected population increase for Simcoe County will come from intraprovincial migration; new residents in Simcoe County who arrive from other parts of Ontario.
  • Between 2011 and 2016* there were 9,280 new individuals who reported a non-official mother tongue. This represents a 24.1 per cent increase from 2011 to 2016 while the overall population rose by only 7.5 per cent.
  • The proportion of non-official mother tongues rose from 8.70 per cent in 2011 to 10.1 per cent in 2016.
  • Number of Unique Non-official mother tongues reported:

○​​20​01: 58

○​2006: 66

○2011​: 107

○​​​2016: 1​12

*Caution should be used in comparing 2011 Census Language Data due to changes in methodology.

(Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population)