The 2011 Census age and sex details were released this morning by Stats Canada, revealing that the number of seniors in the community is on the increase.
The statistics also show that of 10,830 citizens in the city of Williams Lake, 5,300 are males and 5,530 are females.
While the male-to-female ratio is fairly even, as it was in 2006 when there were 5,245 males and 5,500 females, the number of people over the age of 64 living in the city is increasing.
In 2006 Williams Lake had 1,400 people over 64 years of age; in 2011 there were 1,730.
The age category between 60 to 64 years of age indicates there were 495 in 2006 and 740 in 2011; in the 85 years and over category there were 155 in 2006 and 215 in 2011.
Those numbers reflect what's happening across the country.
In a press release the Bank of Montreal pointed out that the 60-64 age group grew 29 per cent — the fastest growing age group in Canada.
The number of seniors — those aged 65 and over — rose 14 per cent and is now sitting at around five million (the highest number of seniors ever) and that those of working age (aged 15-64) grew by only 5.7 per cent
At the other end of the spectrum, the numbers are remaining steady in Williams Lake
In 2006 there were 340 males and 320 females between the ages of zero and four, whereas in 2011 there were 345 males and 305 females.
The percentage of the population 15 years and older is 81.6 in Williams Lake in 2011.
A second table, Williams Lake population centre, cites a population of 12,408.
It compares Williams Lake with the province of British Columbia, showing the median age of 39.6 in Williams Lake versus 41.9 provincially; 81.6 per cent of the population 15 and over in Williams Lake, compared to 84.6 in the province.
The full report is available at http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E.