Home › Our District › Planning & Facilities › Population, Development and Enrolment Trends

Population, Development and Enrolment Trends


Population change varies across the district. According to Census Canada, areas that have experienced significant growth include UBC lands, downtown, in particular around False Creek, and the south eastern quadrant of the City. The north-east and central sections of the district have experienced population decline.

census map

The total population in the school district has increased from 604,353 in 2006 to 643,208 in 2009. The population is projected to increase to 685,396 by 2015, 723,943 by 2020, 758,365 by 2025, and 789,508 by 2030 (BC Statistics).

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Future Growth Areas include: the Marpole, WestEnd, Grandview Woodlands, Broadway and Cambie Corridors, Oakridge and Arbutus Shopping Centres, Little Mountain, Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre, Knight and Kingway, Collingwood, Southeast False Creek (SEFC), Northeast False Creek (NEFC), Mount Pleasant. Major, East Fraser Lands and Marine Gateway (see Map Link). In addition, city-wide housing initiatives encourage lane-way housing, basement suites within single-family houses and a Rental Housing Strategy to address the high demand for rental housing Planning Department, City of Vancouver. In addition, the population of the UBC endowment lands will also continue to increase through residential development UBC Campus & Community Planning.

ENROLMENT TREND

Despite the overall population growth in the district, student enrolment has been declining over the past 10 years. The decline has been the result of various factors including the shift in demographics to an older population, smaller household size, increase in regional housing choice, lack of affordable housing and housing suitable for young families as well as increased competition for independent school options.

Note: Student enrolment numbers for 2010 are preliminary and may be subject to change.  Enrolment is based on student K – 12 headcounts, not Full Time Equivalent (FTE) and excludes international students, adult and VLN enrolment.

Despite the declining student enrolment trend in the last decade, enrolment decline is projected to flatten over the next 3 years and then begin to increase by 2013. Recent residential developments such as False Creek North, International Village and UBC endowment lands have shown that renewed housing at higher densities have attracted a significant school age population. As areas under current redevelopment and City planning programs are being implemented over the next decade, it is anticipated that these new multi-family residential areas will also attract new families.