One in about three people living in B.C. be will originally from another country by 2036, according to numbers released Wednesday by Statistics Canada.
The agency projects that 30-35 per cent of those living in the province will be immigrants, up from 27.5 per cent in 2011.
The increase will mostly be driven by immigrants coming to Canada and then settling in B.C., versus those choosing the province specifically. B.C. will remain one of the most diverse provinces in the country, with 42 and 46 per cent of the population belonging to a visible minority group – up from 28 per cent in 2011.
By 2036, 46 per cent of those living in the Vancouver census metropolitan area will be immigrants. Abbotsford-Mission will reach 31 per cent by that time. More than half the people in those areas will be either originally from another country or the children of those who have. More than 80 per cent of immigrants in the province will be living in Vancouver.
Also in 2036, the number of British Columbians who speak neither English nor French as their first language will rise to about one-third, up from about one-quarter in 2011.
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