Community Snapshot Whitehorse, Yukon

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1 Introduction This snapshot was prepared using the Rural Secretariat s Community Information Database ( a free online resource developed to provide rural communities and governments with access to consistent and reliable socio-economic and demographic data for all communities across Canada. This snapshot contains examples of the type of information that can be extracted from the Community Information Database (CID). The CID provides local level quantitative data (e.g. population counts) that can be used in conjunction with local level qualitative data (e.g. community stories and case studies). This snapshot examines demographic, economic, and social characteristics for the Yukon Territory with a particular focus on the communities of Whitehorse, Mt. Lorne, and Ibex Valley. The Community Information Database was used to create this snapshot. A number of indicators are considered, including: resource-reliance, population change, education, income, employment, and housing. Gendered breakdowns are included for some indicators. There are a total 35 communities in the Yukon Territory, including 30 that are rural and 5 that are urban. i Satellite Image: Whitehorse area 1

2 Economy Within a 300 kilometre radius of Whitehorse, there are 4 resource-reliant communities ii : 3 are reliant on mining and 1 is reliant on energy (Map 1). Approximately 30% of Whitehorse s economic base is reliant on the energy sector, compared to 30% on mining for Ibex Valley. Map 1: Resource-reliant communities in the Whitehorse area Demography In 2001, the community of Whitehorse represented approximately 66% of the total population of the Yukon. Around 16% of the total population of Whitehorse was Aboriginal in Between 1996 and 2001, the population of the Yukon Territory decreased 6.4%. Population remained stable in Whitehorse over the same period. This compares to a population decline of 4.1% in Mt. Lorne and 3.1% in Ibex Valley (Table 1). Population declines in Mt. Lorne and Ibex Valley were smaller than the territorial average. 2

3 Table 1: Population change for Yukon and communities in Whitehorse area Geography Population 1996 Population 2001 % change Yukon Territory Whitehorse Mt. Lorne Ibex Valley At the territorial level, population decreased in the 0-19 and age groups and increased in the and 65+ age groups. The communities of Whitehorse, Mt. Lorne, and Ibex Valley, show the same pattern with one exception; population in the 0-19 age group in Ibex Valley did not change between 1996 and 2001 (Table 2). Mt. Lorne showed the largest decrease in population aged 0-19 while Ibex Valley showed the largest decrease in population aged Table 2: Population change by age group for communities in the Whitehorse area Population change (%) Geography Yukon Territory Whitehorse Mt. Lorne Ibex Valley Whitehorse lost the largest percentage of population in the age group and gained the largest percentage in the 65+ age group (Figure 1). Population in the 65+ age group increased 42% Figure 1: Population by age group for Whitehorse Total population years years years 65+ Age group 3

4 Education Whitehorse had a lower percentage of residents with trades certificate or diploma compared to the Yukon average. However, Whitehorse had a larger percentage of residents that had obtained a university degree or higher compared to the territorial average. Whitehorse also showed a lower percentage of population with less than grade nine compared to the territorial average. In 2001, approximately 18% of Whitehorse residents aged 15 years and over had obtained a university degree or higher (Figure 2). Percentage of population 15 years and over Figure 2: Educational attainment for the Yukon Territory and Whitehorse Yukon Territory Whitehorse 0 Less than grade 9 Grade 9-13 with secondary school graduation certificate Trades certificate or diploma University with bachelor's degree or higher Educational attainment Income Average male, female, and family income in Whitehorse was higher than the Yukon Territory average in both 1996 and Male income in Whitehorse was on average $5,280 more than female income in 2001, compared to a difference of $6,949 in Average female income grew faster than average male income between 1996 and 2001 in all geographies listed in Table 3. Table 3: Average family income for communities in the Whitehorse area Average income - males Average income - females Average family income Geography % change % change % change Yukon Territory 32,387 34, ,438 29, ,807 69, Whitehorse 34,631 38, ,196 31, ,648 76, Mt. Lorne 31,770 33, ,202 26, ,661 64, Ibex Valley 26,313 28, ,741 24, ,273 66,

5 Average female income grew the most between 1996 and 2001 in Ibex Valley at 18.5% and the least in Whitehorse at 13.5%. Average male income grew the most Whitehorse at 10.5% and the least in Mt. Lorne at 5.1%. Average family income increased the most in Ibex Valley at 24% and the least in Mt. Lorne at 11.1%. Families in Whitehorse seem to have an economic advantage compared to the rest of the Northwest Territories in terms of income. Families in Whitehorse make on average $7,159 more than the territorial average. Average family income in Whitehorse also grew more than the territorial average between 1996 and Map 2: Average family income in the Whitehorse area Employment The number of citizens in Whitehorse with full-time employment was 6,270 in 2001, up 6% from However, unemployment rates for the Yukon Territory and the communities of Whitehorse, Mt. Lorne, and Ibex Valley increased between 1996 and Unemployment rates for Whitehorse increased from 10% in 1996 to 12.2% in Unemployment rates for Whitehorse were lower than the territorial average, while those in Mt. Lorne and Ibex Valley were higher (Figure 3). 5

6 In 2001, the largest percentage of men in Whitehorse were employed in trades, transport and equipment occupations (25.6%), followed by sales and service occupations (21.8%) and management occupations (16.6%). The largest percentage of women in Whitehorse were employed in business, finance and administrative occupations (33%), followed by sales and service occupations (23.9%) and occupations in social science, education, government service and religion (16.5%) Figure 3: Unemployment rates for the Yukon and Whitehorse area 14 Unemployment rate (%) Housing Yukon Territory Whitehorse Mt. Lorne Ibex Valley Geography In 2001, 65% of occupied private dwelling were owner-occupied in Whitehorse. The number of owner-occupied dwellings increased 10.1% between 1996 and 2001, while the number of rented dwellings remained the same. Average gross rent did not increase for Whitehorse between 1996 and In 2001, the average value of owner-occupied dwellings in Whitehorse decreased 1% to $144,286, down from $145,286 in The average payment for owner-occupied housing increased 1% between 1996 and 2001 (Table 4). Table 4: Housing in Whitehorse % change Number of occupied private dwellings Number of occupied private dwellings - Owned Number of occupied private dwellings - Rented Average Gross Rent $ - Tenant-occupied Average value of dwelling $ - Owner-occupied Average owner's major payment $ - Owner-occupied

7 In 2001, the average value of owner-occupied dwellings in Ibex Valley was $174,179, compared to $178,290 in Mt. Lorne (Map 3). Map 3: Average value of owner-occupied dwellings in the Whitehorse area Summary The economic base of Whitehorse was 30% reliant on energy in Total population remained stable in Whitehorse between 1996 and Population in the 0-19 and age groups declined while population in the and 65+ age groups increased. Approximately 18% of Whitehorse s population aged 15 years and over had obtained a university degree or higher in Average male, female and family income increased in Whitehorse between 1996 and Unemployment rates increased in Whitehorse over the same period. There is a difference in occupational categories that make of the largest percentage of employment for men and women. The average value of owneroccupied dwellings decreased between 1996 and 2001 in Whitehorse. i The definitions of rural and urban that are used in the Community Information Database come from Statistics Canada. Rural and small town communities generally include those that have a population of 10,000 or less. Urban communities have an urban core population of over 10,000 and include all neighbouring municipalities where 50% or more of the workforce commutes to the urban core for work. According to the Statistics Canada definition, the community of Whitehorse and the surrounding communities of Lake Laberge 1; Mt. Lorne; Ibex Valley; and Whitehorse, Unorganized are considered urban. ii Resource-reliance measures employment income generated from a community s economic base that is derived from the exploitation, processing, and sometimes distribution, of a natural resource. Communities are resource-reliant when at least 30% of the employment income from their economic base is derived from one of the five resource sectors: agriculture, forestry, mining, fishery, energy. 7