Population and Demographics

This section provides an overview of the people who live in the community, including growth trends and forecast, aging groups, and workforce. Understanding the demographic profile helps inform planning, service delivery, and decision-making that reflect the needs of all residents.

Population Growth

In 2021, West Vancouver had 44,122 residents making up 1.6% of the region’s 2.6 million residents. Between 2001 and 2021, the District’s average five-year population growth rate was 1.5%, which was low compared to the region’s average growth rate of 7.6% during the same period. Over the full twenty-year span, West Vancouver experienced a total population increase of 7%, compared to a 33% growth across the region.

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Figure: Population growth, West Vancouver and Metro Vancouver, 2001 – 2021 Census
West Vancouver’s 2021 population was approximately 2% lower than the 45,000 people projected in the 2018 Official Community Plan (OCP). The 2018 OCP anticipated steady but modest growth of 3.7% every five years to reach approximately 54,000 residents by 2041. This projection aligns closely with the actual 3.9% growth from 2016 to 2021 and is generally consistent with the Province’s long-term population projection for the District. Over the next two decades, West Vancouver is expected to account for about 1% of total regional growth¹.

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Figure: Total population growth trends and 2041 projections, 1931 – 2041, 2018 Official Community Plan

¹BC Statistics 2021 – 2041, BC Population Estimates & Projections and BC Household Projections

Population Distribution

West Vancouver’s population has aged more rapidly than the region’s. In 2001, seniors made up about one in five residents, increasing to nearly one in three by 2021. In contrast, the regional seniors’ population grew from 12% to 17% over the same period. West Vancouver’s median age reached 51 in 2021, a decade older than the regional median of 41.

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Figure: Population by age groups, West Vancouver, 2001 – 2021 Census
Since 2001, the number of working-age residents (25 – 64) has declined. Today, the District has fewer younger working adults (25 – 44) and slightly more older working adults (45 – 64) compared to the region. This suggests that younger adults may be leaving the community in their twenties, potentially due to limited job and housing opportunities.

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Figure: Population by age groups and distribution comparison, West Vancouver and Metro Vancouver, 2021 Census