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Oktoberfest!… by the numbers

Celebrations of German culture are held in many parts of Canada, but the most famous Oktoberfest celebration in the country is held each autumn in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario.

The week-long festival each October showcases German culture, food and beer!

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Kitchener-Waterloo

93,325 — The number of persons in Kitchener CMA who reported German as their ethnic origin in 2001. German was the third most common ethnic origin in Kitchener, after Canadian and English.

Source: Summary tables, Population by selected ethnic origins, by census metropolitan areas (2001 Census).

451,235 — The population of the Kitchener Census Metropolitan Area (including the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo) in 2006.

97,495 — The population of the City of Waterloo in 2006.

204,668 — The population of the City of Kitchener in 2006.

Source: Community profiles.

2.7 million — The number of persons in Canada who reported German as their ethnic origin in 2001. German was the sixth most common ethnic origin in Canada after Canadian, English, French, Scottish and Irish. Canadians of German ethnic origin in Canada represented 9.3% of the total population.

Sources: 2001 Census, Canada’s ethnocultural portrait: The changing mosaic; Ethnic Origin.

Data on ethnic origin from the 2006 Census will be released on Wednesday, April 2, 2008.

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Trade with Germany

When we think of imports from Germany, automobiles and beer most often come to mind….

$1.9 billion — The value of cars and light trucks imported to Canada from Germany in 2006.

$11.1 billion — The value of total imports to Canada from Germany in 2006.

Source: World Trade Atlas.

17 million litres — The volume of beer imported to Canada from Germany in 2005.

Source: The Control and Sale of Alcoholic Beverages in Canada, 2005.

$23.1 million — The value of beer imported to Canada from Germany in 2003.

5th — The rank of Germany in terms of imports of beer to Canada, after Mexico, the Netherlands, the United States and Belgium.

Source: Canadian Trade Review, “Canada's Beer Trade: A Swing to Imported Brands”. See also “Study: Canada's trade in beer”, The Daily, Wednesday, February 15, 2006.

5th — The rank of Germany in terms of imports to Canada from all world nations.

$3.9 billion — The value of exports from Canada to Germany in 2006.

6th — The rank of Germany in terms of its share of exports from Canada to all world nations.

Source: World Trade Atlas.

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German sausage

$44,000 — The value of imports of sausages to Canada from Germany in 2006.

Source: World Trade Atlas.

$1.5 billion — The value of sausages and similar products (wieners, etc.) manufactured in Canada in 2003.

134 — The number of establishments manufacturing sausages and similar products in Canada in 2003.

Source: Annual Survey of Manufactures.

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“Prosit!”

2.2 billion litres— The volume of imported and domestic beer (including beer coolers) sold in Canada in 2005.

$8.5 billion — The value of imported and domestic beer sold in Canada in 2005.

84.6 litres — The volume of beer sold per-capita (aged 15 and over) in Canada in 2005, down from 86.3 litres in 2004.

Sources: “Control and sale of alcoholic beverages”, The Daily, Thursday, September 20, 2007 ; The Control and Sale of Alcoholic Beverages in Canada, 2005.

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