By Jasminee Sahoye

Data collected by Statistics Canada five years ago show that there were almost 245,000 people from the Caribbean and Bermuda with the largest populations from Jamaica followed by Haiti and then Trinidad and Tobago.

People of Jamaican ancestry totalled 107,865 while there were 55,305 Haitians. It is anticipated that the population for Haitians will increase in this year’s population count as a result of the massive earthquake which devastated the island. The number of people counted in 2006 for Trinidad and Tobago ancestry was 35,160, almost 20,000 less than Haitians.

While geographically, Guyana is part of South America and was not counted as part of the Caribbean, although it is a founding member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), some 34,955 people were counted in the 2006 census. This figure is almost two hundred less than those counted for nationals of Trinidad and Tobago.

There was a high concentration of people from the Caribbean and Guyana living in Toronto five years ago. Figures indicate that with the exception of people from Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica, nationals from the Caribbean and Guyana were scattered in the major cities. While it is widely known, figures showed that most Haitian nationals settled in Montreal.

The information used in this article was gathered during the 2006 long form census which no longer exists this year. However, Statistics Canada has introduced the National Household Survey (NHS) whereby one in three households across Canada has been chosen to participate in this new survey.

The information collected in the NHS is important for all communities and vital for planning services such as family services, housing, roads and public transportation, and skills training for employment, Statistics Canada said.

“Since this survey is an essential source of information about Canada and the people who live here, it is important that everyone selected to participate in the NHS complete and return their questionnaire. This is the one chance in the next five years to collect information on the residents of your community,” Derek Lawrence, Communications Officer at Statistics Canada said in an email to the media.