Quebec population | A demographic portrait … worrying

Age pyramid, diplomas, disposable income: which of Quebec’s 17 administrative regions stand out? Which are losing momentum? The Institut de la statistique du Québec has just painted a socioeconomic portrait of the province in its 2021 edition of the Panorama of Quebec regions.

Louise Leduc
Press

A shock for Montreal

Montreal has gone from the region where the population growth rate was one of the highest in Quebec in 2018-2019 (18 per 1,000) to one of the lowest in 2019-2020 (2.3 per 1,000). This is partly explained by the decrease in the number of immigrants and non-permanent residents caused by the closure of international borders in March 2020. Montrealers have also been hit hardest by the pandemic. But beyond that, the metropolis has also lost more inhabitants to other regions than in previous years, notes the Institut de la statistique du Québec. Although to a lesser extent, four other regions saw their growth slow down: Capitale-Nationale, Outaouais, Laval and Montérégie. Conversely, writes Anne Binette Charbonneau, of the Sociodemographic Statistics Department, “the Laurentians and Lanaudière, which already had high growth rates”, saw their growth experience “a significant boom”. The North Shore is the only region where the population decreased between 2019 and 2020, although the decline is less than in previous years.

The Gaspé is aging

The Gaspé is the region with the highest proportion of people aged 65 and over, at 28.6%. “It is also one of the highest proportions in Canada”, we can read. It is also in this region that there is the smallest proportion of young people aged 0 to 19 (16%), the average age of the population being 48.8 years, an increase of almost 8 years. since 2001. “The Bas-Saint-Laurent and Mauricie are also among the regions where the population is the oldest”, we can read. Unsurprisingly, it is Nord-du-Québec that has the youngest population. More than one in three people (34%) are under 20 years old and only 8.8% of the population is 65 and over. This region has “higher fertility than in the whole province and a lower life expectancy”. “Nevertheless, as in other regions, the population of Nord-du-Québec is aging,” notes Anne Binette Charbonneau. The average age has increased by almost 4 years since 2001 to reach 33 years in 2020. ”In Quebec as a whole, 20.8% of the population is under 20 years old and 19.7% is 65 years old and more. Finally, among those aged 65 and over, the Institut de la statistique estimates that there are 130 women for every 100 men in Montreal. Conversely, there are 97 women for every 100 men in Nord-du-Québec.

Much better educated immigrants

According to the latest data available, 44% of immigrants aged 25 to 64 living in Quebec have a certificate, diploma or any university degree, compared to 26% of non-immigrants, notes Virginie Nanhou, of the main directorate of social statistics. and health. Montreal has the highest proportion of university graduates (53%) in this same age category. On the contrary, it is in the Gaspésie – Îles de la Madeleine region, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue and in the Côte-Nord and Nord-du-Québec region that the proportion of university graduates is lowest. In Quebec as a whole, 1 in 10 people have no diploma whatsoever. In Quebec, there are proportionally more men than women among the non-educated population aged 25 to 64 (13% compared to 8%) in 2020, a particularly significant difference being noted in this regard in the Bas-Saint-Laurent ( 20% compared to 9%). Women are also more likely than men to pursue their studies beyond the baccalaureate (12% compared to 10%).

The highest disposable income in the Capitale-Nationale

It is in the Capitale-Nationale region ($ 32,284), followed by Montérégie ($ 31,824) and Abitibi-Témiscamingue ($ 31,501), that disposable income per capita (the money has a household to spend or save) is the highest. “The high income levels in the Capitale-Nationale and Montérégie are attributable to one of the highest employment rates and employee compensation in Quebec,” writes Stéphane Ladouceur, from the sector statistics and sustainable development department. As for Abitibi-Témiscamingue, the weight of the mining sector in its economy and the high salaries paid by this industry certainly help to raise the region’s disposable income per capita. In 2019, the average annual salary of a mining employee in Abitibi-Témiscamingue was over $ 121,600. ”

Widespread increase in disposable income

In general, Quebec posted “strong growth in disposable income in 2019. After growing by 2% in 2018, disposable income per capita in Quebec as a whole increased more markedly in current dollars in 2019, ie 3.9%[thesecondhighestincreaseofthe10Canadianprovinces)ThisisattributableaccordingtotheInstitutdelastatistiqueduQuébectoanincreaseinprimaryincomecombinedwithaslowerincreaseinincometaxpaidbyindividualsSaguenay–Lac-Saint-Jeanstandsoutherewiththelargestincreaseindisposableincomepercapita(+52%)”ThisisthethirdtimeinfouryearsthatthepercapitadisposableincomeofSaguenay–Lac-Saint-Jeanhasgrownmorestronglythanthatoftheprovince”observesMrLadouceurInthisregardMauricie($27656)andNord-du-Québec($28021)areatthebottomofthetableNotehoweverthatwithinthesameregiontherecanbeverylargedisparitiesThusCaniapiscauanMRCoftheCôte-NordgivinginmininghasthehighestdisposableincomepercapitainQuebec($43044)whiletheMRCHaute-Côte-Nordhasadisposableincomeof28$343[ladeuxièmeaugmentationparmilesplusfortesdes10 provincescanadiennes)Celaestattribuableselonl’InstitutdelastatistiqueduQuébecàunehaussedurevenuprimaireconjuguéeàuneaugmentationpluslentedel’impôtsurlerevenupayéparlesparticuliersLeSaguenay–Lac-Saint-Jeansedémarqueicienprésentantlaplusforteaugmentationdurevenudisponibleparhabitant(+ 52 %)« C’estlatroisièmefoisenquatreansquelerevenudisponibleparhabitantduSaguenay–Lac-Saint-Jeancroîtplusfortementqueceluidelaprovince »faitobserverM LadouceurÀcechapitrelaMauricie(27 656 $)etleNord-du-Québec(28 021 $)arriventaubasdutableauNotonscependantqu’àl’intérieurd’unemêmerégionilpeutyavoirdetrèsgrandesdisparitésAinsiCaniapiscauuneMRCdelaCôte-Norddonnantdansl’exploitationminièreprésentelerevenudisponibleleplusélevéparhabitantauQuébec(43 044 $)alorsquelaMRCHaute-Côte-Nordprésenteunrevenudisponiblede28 343 $