Shauna O'Callaghan

Whistler resources

This section presents an analysis of population growth trends,demographic, socio-economic, and household characteristics for Whistler’s permanent resident population. This analysis also includes some data for the neighbouring communities of Squamish and Pemberton. The principal data source is the most recent Canada Census of Population and Housing conducted by Statistics Canada in 2001 and released through 2003. Age statistics and family and household characteristics however use the most recent 2006 Canada Census data. Annual population estimates are from BC Statistics.

Whistler Population

As of June 2009, Whistler’s permanent population was estimated to be 10,228. Whistler experienced rapid population growth between 1988 and 1998, with an average annual growth rate of 13% per year, adding 6,255 new residents overall or an average of 625 new residents per year(equivalent to 250 new households). Population growth has slowed significantly since that time to an annual average rate of 1.3% per year with a decrease experienced between 2004 and 2005 and again between 2007 and 2008. The population did increase by 5% however between 2008 and 2009 recording both Whistler's largest population and highest annual growth since 1998.

View Estimated Population Whistler Graph

Whistler Population Equivalent

The nature of Whistler being a tourism community means the number of people in Whistler on any given day is greater than the population counts provided Canada Census or BC Statistics estimates. The total population equivalent is an estimate of the total number of people in Whistler on average at one time. The indicator is often used in 'per capita' measures to normalize the data and make it comparable to other communities. The following figure provides an estimate of the average number of people in Whistler overnight per day during the Summer 2008 and Winter 08/09 season.

View Whistler Population Equivalent Graph

The estimated number of people in Whistler overnight per day averaged 24,380 almost 2.5 times greater than the permanent population of 10,228 residents.

• Whistler had an estimated seasonal resident population of 1,556 averaged throughout the year.
• An additional estimated 2,400 employees on average commuted into Whistler on a daily basis, primarily from the neighbouring communities of Pemberton and Squamish increasing the yearly daily average population equivalent to 26,780.

Sea to Sky

While Whistler grew faster than other Sea to Sky communities in 2009, Squamish continues to have the largest permanent resident base in the Sea to Sky Region at approximately 17,181 residents. After five decades of steady population growth primarily associated with forestry, the District of Squamish experienced a net decrease of 45 residents over the five year period from 1998 through 2003. Though the population dropped slightly between 2006 and 2007, between 2003 and 2007 the population increased by 15%. Pemberton continues to have the smallest population, with 2,416 residents, but has experienced the most rapid population growth in the past ten years with an average annual growth rate of 6% to 2009.

View Estimated Population Sea-To-Sky Graph

Demographic & Socio-Economic Characteristics

This section profiles Whistler’s permanent resident population, including distribution by age, marital status,family composition, labour force participation, as well as school enrollment information.

Age Distribution

• The age distribution of Whistler residents is less balanced than is typical for the province as a whole, with fewer children, youth and seniors, and a larger percentage of young adults
• Whistler’s age distribution is centered around a median age of 32 years, nine years younger than the provincial median age of 41 years.
• Fifty-seven percent of Whistler’s population is between 20 and 44 compared to 34% for the province. Fifteen percent of B.C.’s population is over the age of 65, whereas in Whistler, people aged 65 and over make up less than 4% of the population.

View Whistler Census Age Profile Graph

 

• Between 2001 and 2006, Whistler experienced increases in the number of residents in each age category with the largest increase (170 residents) in the 45-49 age cohort. The largest percentage increases occurred in the 70-74 (100%) and 60-64 (85%) age categories.
• The proportion of residents between 20 and 39 years of age decreased from 62% in 1996 to 55% in 2001 and down again to 48% in 2006. In fact the the number of residents 20 and 39 years of age decreased by 400 people on an absolute basis between 2001 and 2006. This absolute decrease in this segment of the population was countered most significantly by an increase of residents over 45 and 64 and 5-14 years of age over the same period.
• Overall, Whistler’s age distribution continued to exhibit an aging population trend between 2001 and 2006; however, this trend was not as significant as for the province as a whole.

View Whistler Census Age Profile Relative Age Categories Graph

Family & Household Characteristics

Whistler’s family and household characteristics are different from those in the province overall with a large percentage of single individuals, one-person households and households comprised of non-family members and a smaller percentage of family households with children.

Marital Status

• In 2006, 57% of Whistler’s permanent resident population over the age of 15 years was characterised as single, compared to 32% for the province. The number of permanent residents legally married or in in Whistler (33%) was far less than that in Squamish (48%), Pemberton (40%) or BC (50%) as a whole.

Household Distribution

• One-person households and households comprised of non-family members represent 54.2% of all households; 26% are households with couples without children. Nineteen percent of Whistler households are made up of couples with children, compared to 26% for BC, 30% for Squamish and 28% for Pemberton. The distribution remained similar to 2001 with couples without children decreasing from 27% to 26%, couples with children decreasing .5% from 20% and one-person households and households comprised of non-family members increasing 1.2% from 53% to 54.2%.
• Household Size. Average household size is 2.3 persons per household slightly smaller than the 2.43 recorded in 2001 , similar to that for Pemberton (2.3); Squamish and BC as a whole have larger household sizes at 2.6 and 2.5 persons per household respectively.

Labour Force and Employment Structure

Whistler’s resident work force has grown steadily and has a high participation rate focused on tourism-related service sectors, including food and beverage, accommodation, recreation and entertainment, retail trade, business services, real estate and transportation.

Labour Force Indicators

Total Labour Force & Employment Growth

• Whistler’s labour force increased almost seven fold over the 20-year period between 1981-2001, with the greatest growth reported between 1986 and 1991 at an average annual rate of 18% per year. Growth in the labour force slowed to an average of 3.9% per year between 1996-2001, then the growth rate was slightly negative to 2006. By 2006, the resident labour force totaled 6,925 people, representing 31% of the regional labour force of 22,195 people in the SLRD, a decrease from 33% reported in 2001. The number of employed residents grew slightly from 6,540 in 2001 to 6,560 in 2006 and the growth rate was significantly smaller than rates between previous census periods.

Participation Rate

• A much higher proportion (85.6%) of Whistler’s population participated in employment in 2006 compared to the SLRD rate of 77.3%. Whistler’s 5.3% unemployment rate was 1.7 percentage points less than the SLRD’s unemployment rate of 7%, and lower than Whistler’s 2001 rate of 6.3%.

Employment and Occupation by Sector

Service Sector

• Eighty-eight percent of the workforce was employed in the service sector in 2006. Other services, comprised of accommodation, food services arts and recreation services and other, represented almost one half of all employment, compared to 33% for the SLRD. The second greatest concentration of labour force activity was in business services (17%) followed by retail trade (10%).

Goods Production

• Only a small percentage of Whistler’s workforce is employed in goods production (12%), with the majority being employed in manufacturing and construction (11%). Whistler has very little employment in resource-based industries (1% of total), compared to 5% for the SLRD.

Whistler Employment by Sector (1996-2006)

Labour Force Sector Table				Change	Change
Whistler	1996	2001	2006	1996-2001	2001-2006
Total Experienced Labour Force	5,735	6,945	6,875	20%	-1%
Services
Business Services	550	1,220	1,120	104%	-8%
Finance and Real Estate	370	410	435	18%	6%
Health and Education	395	560	625	58%	12%
Other services	2,805	3,280	3,185	14%	-3%
Wholesale and Retail Trade	720	705	690	-4%	-2%
Total Services	4,840	6,175	6,055	25%	-2%
Goods
Manufacturing and Construction	790	695	750	-5%	8%
Agriculture and other resources-based industries	95	70	75	-21%	7%
Total Goods	885	765	825	-7%	8%

Change in Employment by Sector

• Between 2001 and 2006, Whistler’s service-related employment sector experienced a 2% overall decrease in employment from approximately 6,175 jobs to 6,055 employees. Employment in business services declined from 1,220 to 1,120 jobs and employment in other services decreased by 2%. Whistler experienced employment growth in the health and education sector (12%) and finance and real estate (6%), while the wholesale and retail trade industry declined by 2%.
  Over the same five-year period, the number of Whistler residents employed in goods production fell by 13%, from 885 to 771 people for a total loss of 114 jobs.
• The second greatest change in employment was seen in manufacturing/construction with a 8% increase from 695 to 750 jobs.

Occupational Structure

• Sales and services represented the largest share of occupations in Whistler at 37% in 2006. Whistler also had a significant share of employees in management (18%), business, finance and administration (13%), and trade, transport, and equipment (12%).

Whistler Occupational Structure (1996 and 2006)

Labour Force Occupation Table				Change	Change
Whistler	1996	2001	2006	1996-2006	2001-2006
Total Experienced Labour Force	5,735	6,945	6,875	20%	-1%
Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport Occupation	330	480	340	3%	-29%
Business, Finance and Administration Occupation	820	860	860	5%	0%
Health Occupation	190	275	245	29%	-11%
Management Occupation	775	1,200	1,205	55%	0%
Natural and Applied Sciences Occupation	120	345	320	167%	-7%
Primary Industry Occupation	170	170	195	15%	15%
Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities Occupation	105	35	40	-62%	14%
Sales and Service Occupation	2,340	2,665	2,540	9%	-5%
Social Science, Education, Government Occupation	170	230	335	97%	46%
Trades, Transport and Equipment Occupation	710	680	805	13%	18%

School & Day Care Enrollment

Whistler’s student population is primarily accommodated within two elementary schools and a secondary school administered by the Howe Sound School District No. 48, which spans from Squamish to Pemberton. Whistler’s public school system is complemented by a number of alternative private school programs, including the Waldorf-inspired Alta Lake School, the Adult Learning Centre, several preschools/daycares and language schools.

Whistler School Enrollment

• Whistler’s student population has increased by 17 students over the past five years, from 841 students in 2004 to 858 in 2009. Current enrollment is below the highest enrollment of 919 students experienced in 1998 and slightly lower than the 2006 enrollment total, 861.

View Whistler School Enrolement Graph

 

• Whistler’s three public schools have official operating capacities of 330 students for Myrtle Philip Elementary, 430 students for Spring Creek Elementary and 375 for Whistler Secondary after completion of an expansion in 2004/05.
• Spring Creek Elementary opened in January 2004, helping to address overcrowding and use of portable classrooms at Myrtle Philip and Whistler Secondary. Spring Creek opened with an enrollment of 215 students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 and increased to 244 in 2007; with the redistribution of these students, enrollment at Myrtle Philip dropped to 249 students from 479 students the previous year. Myrtle Philip enrollment is currently at 247. Enrollment at Whistler Secondary was 358 students through the 2003 school year, decreasing to 282 students with the redistribution of Grade 7 students back to the elementary level in 2004. Whistler Secondary currently enrolls 352 students.

Day Care Enrollment (no data tracking 2004 and 2005)

• Three registered public day care centres provide daily child care services for local and visiting families: the Dandelion Day Care in Whistler Cay, the Spring Creek Day Care Centre and the Teddy Bear Day Care at Maurice Young Millennium Place in Whistler Village.
• Total enrollment in Whistler day care centres rose to 172 students with the addition of the Spring Creek Day Care Centre in 2002, up from 130 in 2001. After a drop in 2003, further increases were experienced to 2006 where enrollment was 191. In 2007, the total dropped slightly to 190 with 73 children under three years old, 95 children aged 3-5 years and another 22 school aged children attended drop-in kinder care.

View Whistler Day Care Enrolement Graph