Peel had the highest population growth in GTA

In May 2006, Canadians were asked to fill out a national census which provides a statistical portrait of the country and its people. The 2006 Census of Canada has been tabulated, and Peel Region experienced the highest total population growth in the GTA.

Between 2001 and 2006, Peel's population increased by 17.2% or 170,457 people, bringing its total population to 1,159,405 as of May 2006. Of the total population, 58% or 668,549 people live in Mississauga; 37% or 433,806 people live in Brampton; and 5% or 57,050 people live in Caledon.

Since 2001, Brampton's population increased 33.3%; Caledon's population increased 12.8%, and Mississauga's population increased 9.1%. Within the area municipalities, the fastest growing areas are east and southwest portions of Brampton, Bolton and northwest Mississauga.

"Peel is one of the largest, most dense and fastest growing municipalities in the GTA, with the most growth occurring in Brampton," said Nick Tunnacliffe, commissioner of planning. "According to the census, Brampton has accounted for 63.6 per cent of Peel's total growth."

While Toronto remains the largest municipality within the GTA with 2,503,281 people, Peel is the largest in the 905 region, followed by York Region with 892,712, Durham Region with 561,258 and Halton Region with 439,256.

Percentage-wise, York was the fastest growing region in the GTA with growth rate of 22.4%, compared to Peel's 17.2%. However, Peel's total population growth was larger at 170,457 people compared to York's 163,458 people.

The 2006 Census also identified 359,042 private dwellings in Peel: 214,894 in Mississauga; 125,934 in Brampton; 18,214 in Caledon. This is an increase of 16.3% from 2001. Brampton recorded the highest absolute increase in occupied private dwellings compared to Mississauga and Caledon: 28,379 or 29.1 per cent.

"The Region of Peel is well-prepared for the growth figures confirmed by the 2006 Census of Canada, and has put in place key planning initiatives to meet the Region's growth needs," said Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell, chair of the planning committee. "We will continue to provide our residents throughout Peel both current and incoming with top-notch municipal services and quality of life."

For more information on Peel's socio-economic, planning and census data, visit the Peel Data Centre at peeldatacentre.ca.

The Regional Municipality of Peel was incorporated in 1974 on the principle that certain community and infrastructure services are most cost-effectively administered over a larger geographic area. The Region of Peel serves more than one million residents in the cities of Mississauga and Brampton and the Town of Caledon.

For more information on the Region of Peel, please call 905-791-7800, or visit peelregion.ca.