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Lunar New Year… by the numbers
Chinese New Year: 2013 is the Year of the Snake!
The Lunar New Year holiday—also known as the "Chinese New Year"—is not only a traditional festival for the Chinese, but also for the Korean, Vietnamese and many other East Asian populations in Canada. It is also known in some cultures as the "Spring Festival."
The “Year of the Snake” begins February 10, 2013, and ends January 31, 2014.
Here are some facts on assorted topics related to the Year of the Snake.
(Last updated: February 12, 2013)
“Year of the Snake” postage stamp images courtesy of Canada Post.
Are you a snake?
Please note that the Chinese zodiacal year runs from January or February to January or February of the next calendar year. For ease of calculation, only the January to December period of a given year is used here. All estimates of the population of persons born under the signs of the Chinese zodiac are approximations.
Here are estimates of the number of people living in Canada as of January 1, 2012, who were born during years of the Snake:
| Year of birth | Both sexes | Male | Female |
| 1905 | No data | ||
| 1917 | 21,191 | 5,506 | 15,685 |
| 1929 | 142,284 | 59,748 | 82,536 |
| 1941 | 263,341 | 126,121 | 137,220 |
| 1953 | 462,899 | 227,410 | 235,489 |
| 1965 | 528,953 | 265,946 | 263,007 |
| 1977 | 461,516 | 229,805 | 231,711 |
| 1989 | 492,082 | 253,229 | 238,853 |
| 2001 | 365,217 | 188,214 | 177,003 |
| 2013 | No data | ||
Source: Demography Division, Population estimates by age and sex, as of January 1, 2012.
Chinese zodiac
If you are not a snake, then you are one of these other signs in the Chinese zodiac, depending on the year in which you were born:
| Year | ||||||||||
| Snake | 1905 | 1917 | 1929 | 1941 | 1953 | 1965 | 1977 | 1989 | 2001 | 2013 |
| Horse | 1906 | 1918 | 1930 | 1942 | 1954 | 1966 | 1978 | 1990 | 2002 | 2014 |
| Sheep | 1907 | 1919 | 1931 | 1943 | 1955 | 1967 | 1979 | 1991 | 2003 | 2015 |
| Monkey | 1908 | 1920 | 1932 | 1944 | 1956 | 1968 | 1980 | 1992 | 2004 | 2016 |
| Rooster | 1909 | 1921 | 1933 | 1945 | 1957 | 1969 | 1981 | 1993 | 2005 | 2017 |
| Dog | 1910 | 1922 | 1934 | 1946 | 1958 | 1970 | 1982 | 1994 | 2006 | 2018 |
| Pig | 1911 | 1923 | 1935 | 1947 | 1959 | 1971 | 1983 | 1995 | 2007 | 2019 |
| Rat | 1912 | 1924 | 1936 | 1948 | 1960 | 1972 | 1984 | 1996 | 2008 | 2020 |
| Ox | 1913 | 1925 | 1937 | 1949 | 1961 | 1973 | 1985 | 1997 | 2009 | 2021 |
| Tiger | 1914 | 1926 | 1938 | 1950 | 1962 | 1974 | 1986 | 1998 | 2010 | 2022 |
| Rabbit | 1915 | 1927 | 1939 | 1951 | 1963 | 1975 | 1987 | 1999 | 2011 | 2023 |
| Dragon | 1916 | 1928 | 1940 | 1952 | 1964 | 1976 | 1988 | 2000 | 2012 | 2024 |
International trade in snakes and other reptiles
- $1.2 million — The value of live reptiles (including snakes and turtles) imported to Canada in 2011, primarily from Africa and from the United States, but also from Vietnam and Indonesia.
- $646,868 — The value of live reptiles (including snakes and turtles) exported from Canada in 2011. Nearly half of these exports were to Japan and Macao (People’s Republic of China).
- $113,380 — The value of meat and edible meat offal of reptiles (including snakes and turtles, fresh, chilled or frozen), imported to Canada from the United States, Australia and Hong Kong in 2011.
Source: Custom tabulation provided by International Trade Division, Statistics Canada.
Trade with Asia
Asia became the second largest destination for Canadian goods in 2011.
- $46.6 billion — The value of Canada’s exports to Asia in 2011, up 24.9% from 2010. Exports destined for China, Japan, and South Korea accounted for over two-thirds of all goods headed to Asian countries.
- 10.4% — The share of Canada’s exports destined for Asia in 2011. Exports from Canada to Asia were led by coal, wood pulp, canola and copper ores and concentrates.
- $88.0 billion — The value of imports to Canada from Asia in 2011, up 7.8% from 2010. Imports from China accounted for over half of all imports from Asia.
- 19.7% — The proportion of Canada’s imports originating in Asia in 2011, up from 14.5% in 2002. Imports from Asia were led by computers, communication equipment, electronic and electric parts, and passenger cars.
Source: Custom tabulation provided by International Trade Division, Statistics Canada.
Travel to the Asia and Pacific region
- 9th — The rank of mainland China in terms of the most popular destinations for Canadian travellers in 2011, at 307,300 visits.
- 13th — The rank of Hong Kong in terms of the most popular destinations for Canadian travellers in 2011, at 191,000 visits.
Source: Custom tabulation provided by Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics Division, Statistics Canada.
Travel from the Asia and Pacific region
- 7th — The rank of Japan in terms of the most popular countries of origin in 2011, with 186,000 trips.
- 9th — The rank of South Korea in terms of the most popular countries of origin in 2011, with 140,100 trips.
- 11th — The rank of Hong Kong in terms of the most popular countries of origin in 2011, with 114,100 trips.
Source: Custom tabulation provided by Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics Division, Statistics Canada.
Asian languages in Canada in 2011
The first language learned at home in childhood and still understood by the individual at the time of the census is known as mother tongue.
- 1,112,610 — The number of people in Canada whose mother tongue is a Chinese language (Chinese not otherwise specified, Cantonese, Mandarin).
- 174,455 — The number of people in Canada whose mother tongue is an Austro-Asiatic language (Vietnamese, Khmer).
- 142,880 — The number of people in Canada whose mother tongue is Korean.
- 43,040 — The number of people in Canada whose mother tongue is Japanese.
- 22,615 — The number of people in Canada whose mother tongue is a Tai-Kadai language (Lao, Thai).
- 8,210 — The number of people in Canada whose mother tongue is a Tibeto-Burman language (Tibetan, Burmese).
- 1,065 — The number of people in Canada whose mother tongue is Mongol.
Sources: Table 1: Population of immigrant mother tongue families, showing main languages comprising each family, Canada, 2011; Detailed Mother Tongue (192), Single and Multiple Language Responses (3), Age Groups (7) and Sex (3) for the Population Excluding Institutional Residents of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 2011 Census.
See also: 2011 Census in brief: Immigrant languages in Canada.
The chrysanthemum
The chrysanthemum is an important flower in Asian cultures. A flower in bloom symbolizes rebirth and good fortune.
- 23.1 million — The number of chrysanthemum stems produced in Canada in 2011.
- 14.0 million — The total number of potted chrysanthemum plants produced in Canada in 2011.
Source: CANSIM, table 001-0049.
Asia’s contributions to Canadian cuisine
Rice
- 4.74 kg — The amount of rice available for consumption per person in Canada in 2011. (Data adjusted for retail, household, cooking and plate loss.)
Chinese cabbage
- 0.51 kg — The amount of fresh Chinese cabbage available for consumption per person in Canada in 2011. (Data adjusted for retail, household, cooking and plate loss.)
Source: CANSIM, table 002-0011.
Tofu
Tofu is made from processed soybeans.
- $9 — The average expenditure on tofu per household in Canada in 2011.
Source: CANSIM, table 203-0028.
- $1.55 billion — The value of farm cash receipts for soybeans in Canada in 2011.
Source: CANSIM, table 002-0001.
- 27,215 — The number of farms producing soybeans in Canada in 2011, up 17% from 2006.
- 4 million acres — The area of land devoted to the production of soybeans in Canada in 2011, up 33% from 2006.
Source: 2011 Census of Agriculture, Farm and farm operator data, Soybeans.
See also: “The soybean, agriculture's jack-of-all-trades, is gaining ground across Canada,” in Canadian Agriculture at a Glance.
Ginseng
- $72.3 million — The value of farm cash receipts for ginseng in Canada in 2011. More than 96% of Canada’s ginseng crop is grown is grown in Ontario, while nearly 4% is produced in British Columbia.
Source: CANSIM, table 002-0001.
- 203 — The number of farms producing ginseng in Canada in 2011, down 42% from 2006.
- 7,337 acres — The area of land devoted to the production of ginseng in Canada in 2011, down 12% from 2006.
Source: 2011 Census of Agriculture, Farm and farm operator data, Ginseng.
People in Canada celebrating Chinese New Year
You can expect to see celebrations in these larger cities and towns within the Vancouver and Toronto census metropolitan areas (CMA). These regions show the highest proportion of people reporting Chinese ancestry:
- 45% — The percentage of the population of Richmond, British Columbia, who reported Chinese ancestry.
- 36% — The percentage of the population of Markham, Ontario, who reported Chinese ancestry.
- 31% — The percentage of the population of Burnaby, British Columbia, who reported Chinese ancestry.
- 22% — The percentage of the population of Richmond Hill, Ontario, who reported Chinese ancestry.
- 1.3 million — The number of people in Canada who reported Chinese ancestry on the 2006 Census, either as their only origin or in combination with other origins.
- 4.3% — The proportion of the Canadian population who reported Chinese ancestry on the 2006 Census, either as their only origin or in combination with other origins.
Source: 2006 Census, custom tabulation provided by Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division.
Watch The Daily for 2011 data on ethnic origin from the National Household Survey, coming May 8, 2013.
A new nation to call home
According to the 2006 Census, the People’s Republic of China was the leading source country of newcomers to Canada, just as in 2001.
- 155,105 — The number of people from China (excluding special administrative regions) who immigrated to Canada between 2001 and 2006. The early 1990s witnessed the highest number of immigrants from China in recent history (the latter half of the 20th century to the present).
- 7,430 — The number of people from Hong Kong who came to Canada between 2001 and 2006. Census results from 2006 showed that most immigrants from Hong Kong came to Canada in the 1980s and the 1990s.
- 285 — The number of people from Macau who came to Canada between 2001 and 2006.
- 35,445 — The number of people from South Korea who came to Canada between 2001 and 2006. This period and the early 1990s witnessed the most immigration from South Korea.
- 435 — The number of people from Mongolia who came to Canada between 2001 and 2006, the period with the greatest immigration from this country in recent history.
- 10,715 — The number of people from Taiwan who came to Canada between 2001 and 2006. Immigration from Taiwan has been in decline since 1991.
- 100,230 — The number of people from Southeast Asia who came to Canada between 2001 and 2006. Immigration from this region (which includes Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) peaked during the 1990s.
- 10,545 — The number of people from Vietnam who came to Canada between 2001 and 2006. Immigration from Vietnam peaked in the 1970s to the 1990s.
Source: 2006 Census, custom tabulation provided by Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division.
Watch The Daily for 2011 data on immigration from the National Household Survey, coming May 8, 2013.
A new home in a new city
Here are the top 10 destinations of recent immigrants to Canada who arrived between 2001 and 2006, by census metropolitan area (CMA).
From China (including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau):
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Montréal
- Calgary
- Ottawa-Gatineau
- Edmonton
- Hamilton
- Kitchener
- Winnipeg
- Windsor
From Taiwan:
- Vancouver
- Toronto
- Montréal
- Calgary
- Victoria
- Ottawa–Gatineau
- Edmonton
- Kingston
- Halifax
- Abbotsford
From South Korea:
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Calgary
- Montréal
- Winnipeg
- Edmonton
- Hamilton
- Abbotsford
- London
- Kitchener
Source: 2006 Census, custom tabulation provided by Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division.
See also: Immigration in Canada: A Portrait of the Foreign-born Population, 2006 Census: Findings.
Watch The Daily for 2011 data on immigration from the National Household Survey, coming May 8, 2013.
Place of birth
In addition to the year of immigration, the census collects information on place of birth.
- 466,940 — The number of people in Canada in 2006 who reported that they were born in the People’s Republic of China.
- 215,430 — The number of people in Canada in 2006 who reported that they were born in Hong Kong.
- 6,000 — The number of people in Canada in 2006 who reported that they were born in Macau.
- 65,205 — The number of people in Canada in 2006 who reported that they were born in Taiwan.
- 98,395 — The number of people in Canada in 2006 who reported that they were born in South Korea.
Source: 2006 Census, custom tabulation provided by Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division.
Watch The Daily for 2011 data on place of birth from the National Household Survey, coming May 8, 2013.
For more information about this page or for help finding more data, contact Media Relations.
See features on many other subjects in Previous By the numbers.
