Statistics Canada
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Hallowe’en… by the numbers
According
to lore, the last day of October is
traditionally the time when evil spirits and lost souls are let loose to roam
the earth.
Some of the horrifying creatures you may see on October 31 are not evil spirits at all, but the children in neighbourhoods across Canada, dressed up for Hallowe’en.
As is the tradition, the young and the young-at-heart disguise themselves as a wizard, or a princess, or a ghost, or the latest movie superhero, or a pirate, or an infamous celebrity, and go door to door collecting candy and declaring "trick or treat!"
But beware! Mischief, evil and even death may indeed be lurking in the shadows.
Here is a selection of statistics that will help to cast an eerie light on some of the darker aspects of the occasion.
Little monsters
3,931,761 — The number of children in Canada of prime trick-or-treating age—5 to 14 years old—in 2006, down from 3,992,069 in 2005. This is the lowest turnout since 1993. The number of children aged 5 to 14 last peaked in 2001 at 4,095,342.
Source: CANSIM, table 051-0001 (Estimates of population).
See also: “Canada's population estimates”, The Daily, Thursday, September 27, 2007.
Haunted houses
Statistics Canada cannot tell you anything about the number of haunted houses in the nation…but the Census does keep track of whether a house is occupied or not in its definition of a dwelling.
A dwelling may be classified as unoccupied or occupied by a person or a group of persons. Unoccupied dwellings must have heat or power, drinking water and provide protection from the elements to be considered suitable for year-round habitation in order to distinguish them from seasonal homes or cottages. Unoccupied dwellings that do not meet these criteria are deemed to be seasonal and are not included in the count of private dwellings.
Source: Definitions, data sources and methods, Private Dwelling Universe.
12,435,520 — The number of private dwellings across Canada in 2006 where children might be able to nab some treats… or get into some mischief!
The number of occupied private dwellings continues to grow at a faster rate than the population, as it has since 1971.
Source: “Population and dwelling counts”, The Daily, Tuesday, March 13, 2007.
See also: Summary tables, Type of dwelling and population by type of dwelling (1961-2001 Censuses).
Scary places
Statistics Canada can, on the other hand, tell you about haunted barns and other seasonal attractions.
Some farm operations have come up with a wide variety of enjoyable and educational activities, such as haunted barns, giant corn mazes, petting zoos, pumpkin carving demonstrations, scarecrow building contests and, of course, a hay ride to the pumpkin patch to "pick your own."
The demand for pumpkins is rising, and this may be partly driven by the emerging agri-tourism industry. The public’s interest in spending time in the countryside and exploring rural heritage is growing. Festivals and events with an agricultural theme, educational tours, pick-your-own operations and farmers’ markets are drawing people from urban centres. On top of that, decorating with squash and gourds for Halloween and Thanksgiving has become increasingly popular.
2,850 — The number of farms (some of them may be haunted!) with pumpkin patches in Canada in 2001.
5,742 hectares — The land area devoted to pumpkin, squash and zucchini in 2001. (For the sake of simplicity, the term "pumpkins" here refers to these three vegetables.) Although grown in every province in Canada, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and the Atlantic provinces are the major gourd-producing areas.
$22 million — The amount of pumpkin sales in 2001. Of this, $20 million came from the sale of fresh pumpkins while well under $2 million came from canned or processed pumpkins.
92% — The percentage of sales of fresh pumpkins in 2001.
8% — The percentage of sales of pumpkins in 2001 destined for processing into canned pumpkin pie mixes and similar products.
Sources: “Study: Pumpkin crop on the rise”, The Daily, Thursday, October 28, 2004; “The Pumpkin—A Growing Vegetable”, Analysis in Brief, Thursday, October 28, 2004.
1.25 kg — The per capita amount of pumpkin and squash consumed as food in Canada in 2006.
Source: Food Statistics, 2006.
Keep on the lookout for data and information from the 2006 Census of Agriculture! Consult the Census of Agriculture’s release schedule for more information.
Places in Canada that will give you the creeps
Axe Point, Black Cape, Black Water, Bloodvein, Bloodvein River, Bone Creek, Bone Town, Burnt Arm, Burnt Church, Burnt Head, Burnt Hill, Butchers, Coffin Cove, Dead Creek, Dead Islands, Deadman's Bay, Deadmans Cove, Dead Man's Flats, Deadmans Harbour, Deadtree Point, Deception Lake, Destruction Bay, Devil's Gate, Devils Island, Devils Kitchen, Giants Glen, Goblin, Ghost Lake, Ghost Pine Creek, Ghost River, Gore, Gore Bay, Grave Flats, Hatchet Cove, Hatchet Harbour, Hatchet Lake, Hidden Valley, Hitchcock, Isle aux Morts, L'Anse-au-Diable, La Roche-du-Diable, L'Île-aux-Fantômes, Lonely Lake, Lost River, Peekaboo Point, Phantom Beach, Pirate Harbour, Point au Mal, Point Enragée, Poison Creek, Pumpkin Point, Rapides-du-Diable, Rivière-Windigo, Ruisseau-Noir, Salem, Serpent River, Shadow Lake, Skull Creek, Sleepy Hollow, Sleepy Hollow Road Trailer Park, Snake River, Spirit Lake, Spirit River.
Sources: Community profiles; GeoSearch2006.
Tricksters
1 out of every 5 — The proportion of middle-school students in Toronto who reported that they had committed at least one delinquent act in 2006.
Findings from the International Youth Survey also suggest that a relatively small proportion of the young people were responsible for a high number of repeated delinquent acts. Delinquency, as defined in this report, refers to all behaviours explicitly set out in the Criminal Code of Canada.
Source: “Study: Self-reported delinquency among young people in Toronto”, The Daily, Tuesday, September 25, 2007.
A nightmare on Elm Street— and on other roads and avenues across the country
Crime is not necessarily a big-city phenomenon in Canada.
In 2005, small urban areas had higher overall crime rates than both large urban areas—defined as census metropolitan areas (CMAs)—and rural areas. Rates of total violent crime, total property crime and break-ins were also highest in small urban areas.
Homicide
2.5 — The homicide rate (the number of homicides per 100,000 people) in rural areas.
2.0 — The homicide rate (the number of homicides per 100,000 people) in large urban areas.
1.7 — The homicide rate (the number of homicides per 100,000 people) in small urban areas.
Source: “Study: A comparison of urban and rural crime rates”, The Daily, Thursday, June 28, 2007.
222 — The number of homicides committed in Canada in 2005 using a gun.
436 — The number of homicides committed in Canada in 2005 using one of the following methods: stabbing, beating, strangulation, burns and suffocation, other and unknown.
Source: Summary tables, Homicides by method.
605 — The number of homicides in Canada in 2006.
10% — The decline in the national homicide rate in 2006. This drop halted two years of increases. However, increases were reported in many serious violent crimes such as attempted murder, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, robbery and kidnapping/forcible confinement.
See also: “Homicides”, The Daily, Wednesday, October 17, 2007.
Attempted murders
852 — The number of attempted murders reported by police in 2006, the second consecutive annual increase.
Youth crime
The youth crime rate includes all young persons aged 12 to 17 accused of committing a crime, whether they were formally charged by police or dealt with by other means such as a warning, caution, or referral to a diversionary program.
3% — The increase in the youth crime rate in 2006, the first increase since 2003. Violent crime among youth rose 3%, while property crime dropped 3%. "Other" Criminal Code offences, such as mischief and disturbing the peace, were up 9%.
Violent crime
Minor assaults account for 6 in 10 violent crimes.
(The “violent crime rate” is the number of such incidents per 100,000 population.)
951 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in Canada.
851 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in Newfoundland and Labrador.
714 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in Prince Edward Island, the lowest in Canada.
1,135 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in Nova Scotia.
849 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in New Brunswick.
756 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in Quebec.
756 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in Ontario.
1,598 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in Manitoba.
2,039 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in Saskatchewan.
1,101 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in Alberta.
1,218 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in British Columbia.
3,007 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in the Yukon.
6,448 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in the Northwest Territories.
6,764 — The violent crime rate in 2006 in Nunavut, the highest in Canada.
Source: “Crime statistics”, The Daily, Wednesday, July 18, 2007.
Trespassing
3,532 — The number of incidents of trespassing at night reported by police in Canada in 2006.
10.83 — The trespass at night rate per 100,000 population in Canada.
Source: CANSIM, table 252-0013 (Uniform Crime Reporting Survey).
Increase in criminal activity
Note: Data are provided from a non-representative subset of 148 police services.
56% — The proportion of all criminal incidents reported during Hallowe'en 2006 that were violations against property.
18% — The proportion of all criminal incidents reported during Hallowe'en 2006 that were violations against the person.
11% — The percentage increase in Other Criminal Code violations such as weapons-related offences, public morals and disturbing the peace reported during Hallowe'en 2006 compared to a week earlier (i.e. October 24, 2006).
38% — The percentage increase in violent offences such as robbery, aggravated assault, assaults causing bodily harm and assaults against police officers reported during Hallowe'en 2006 compared to a week earlier (i.e. October 24, 2006).
22% — The percentage increase in property violations, including general mischief and arson reported to police during Hallowe'en 2006 compared to a week earlier (i.e. October 24, 2006).
14% — The percentage increase in drug violations reported to police during Hallowe'en 2006 compared to a week earlier (i.e. October 24, 2006).
44% — The percentage increase in Criminal Code traffic violations reported during Hallowe'en 2006 compared to a week earlier (i.e. October 24, 2004).
Source: Incident-based Uniformed Crime Reporting (UCR2) Survey, October 2007, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.
Sometimes home is a dangerous place
163 — The number of victims per 100,000 children and youth who were assaulted physically or sexually by their parents in 2005. This rate was almost three times higher than the rate of assaults by siblings, and four times higher than the rate of assaults committed against children and youth by extended family members.
Source: Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2007.
Not scared yet?
Read on….
Grisly occupations?
4,455 — The number of funeral directors and embalmers in Canada in 2001.
26,365 — The number of butchers and meat cutters in Canada in 2001.
Source: 2001 Census, Occupation.
Watch for new data on Labour (including labour market activity, industry and occupation) from the 2006 Census on Tuesday, March 4, 2008.
Beware of the figure wearing a dark cloak
and wielding a scythe
226,584 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004, up only 415—or 0.2%—from 2003. This was one of the smallest annual increases in the number of deaths in the past 25 years.
Source: “Deaths”, The Daily, Wednesday, December 20, 2006.
6 out of 10 — The proportion of deaths caused by diseases of the circulatory system and cancer combined in 2004. The number of deaths attributable to cancer may soon surpass those caused by cardiovascular diseases.
66,947 — The number of people who died from cancer in Canada in 2004, up 6.8% from 2000.
72,338 — The number of people who died from cardiovascular diseases in Canada in 2004, down 4.9% from 2000.
Source: “Mortality, summary list of causes”, The Daily, Friday, April 27, 2007.
R. I. P.
Here are some data on selected causes of death—ranging from the mundane to the grisly—in descending order of frequency:
954 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of accidental poisoning.
378 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of a fall involving stairs and steps, a building or structure, or a ladder or a tree.
251 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of accidental drowning and submersion.
176 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of assault by a sharp object.
170 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of complications of medical and surgical care.
153 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of falling on the same level, from slipping, tripping and stumbling. This number was nearly double the 85 such deaths registered in 2000.
130 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of a fall involving a bed, chair or other furniture.
100 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of choking on food.
46 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of assault by hanging, strangulation and suffocation.
32 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of an assault by a blunt object.
23 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of exposure to electric transmission lines or to other specified and unspecified electric current.
10 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of a fall from a cliff.
8 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of being bitten or struck by an animal.
4 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of contact with a non-powered hand tool, other powered hand tools and household machinery.
3 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of a foreign body entering into or through the eye or other natural orifice.
3 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of being hit, struck, kicked, twisted, bitten or scratched by another person.
2 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of contact with sharp glass or a knife, sword or dagger.
1 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of being bitten or struck by a dog.
1 — The number of deaths in Canada in 2004 as a result of striking against or being bumped into by another person.
Source: CANSIM, table 102-0540, (Vital Statistics - Death Database).
More than 80 indicators measuring the health of the Canadian population and the effectiveness of the health care system are available in Health Indicators.
Zombies
Well, these people are not really zombies… but close!
3.3 million — The estimated number of Canadians aged 15 or older—about one in every seven—who had problems going to sleep or staying asleep (insomnia) in 2002.
Source: “Study: Insomnia”, The Daily, Wednesday, November 16, 2005.
Witches, warlocks and worshippers of Satan
850 — The number of Canadians who reported that they were Satanists in 2001. This was up from 340 in 1991.
9,575 — The number of Canadians who reported their religion as "Wicca" in 2001.
Source: 2001 Census, Religion.
Scary movies
Hallowe’en is a favourite time to watch films of the horror genre.
105 million — The number of tickets sold at cinemas (including indoor theatres, drive-ins and film festivals) in 2005.
3.2 — The number of visits to the movies each Canadian made on average in 2005. This estimate is based on population projections for the year and the number of paid admissions to movie theatres.
5.2 — The average attendance of visits each year by residents of Alberta. This keen interest in Albertamay be the result of high per capita income and a younger population. The 2005 General Social Survey confirmed the ongoing trend that young people aged 15 to 24 are the greatest cinephiles.
$3.18 — The average amount that Canadian movie-goers spent on concessions in 2005 (popcorn, soft drinks, candy and so on), up 5% from 2004.
Source: “Motion picture theatres”, The Daily, Friday, August 3, 2007.
52% — The percentage of households in Canada(some 6.3 million households) that reported expenditures on videotape, DVD and video game rentals in 2005.
$120— The median amount spent by these households on videotape, DVD and video game rentals in 2005.
Source: Survey of Household Spending.
60% — The proportion of the consumer goods rental industry's total operating revenue that is represented by DVD and video tape rentals. More and more consumers are increasingly opting to buy, rather than rent, their DVDs and videos.
Source: “Consumer goods rental industry”, The Daily, Wednesday, January 24, 2007.
Hallowe’en treats
$266 million — The spike in monthly sales of candy, confectionery and snack foods sales at large retailers in October 2006. December, however, was the month with the highest monthly sales in 2006, at $374 million.
$218 million — The average monthly sales of candy, confectionery and snack foods at large retailers in 2006.
Source: CANSIM, table 080-0009, (Monthly Survey of Large Retailers).
13,051 —The total number of employees in the chocolate and confectionery manufacturing industry in Canada in 2005.
124 — The number of establishments in the chocolate and confectionery manufacturing industry in Canada in 2005.
These figures are for the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) category 3113: Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing.
Source: Custom data provided by Manufacturing and Energy Division.
Hallowe’en apples!
In some parts of Canada, “Hallowe’en apples!” is the exclamation used in the little goblins’ quest for candy. In parts of Canada where the French-Canadian culture is dominant, trick-or-treaters must sing a song for their reward!
6.8 kg — The average amount of fresh apples eaten by each person in Canada in 2006, down from 7.2 kg—a decline of more than 5%—in 2005.
Source: Food Statistics, 2006.
340,183 tonnes — The marketed production of apples in Canada in 2006, with a farm gate value of a little more than $132 million.
Source: Fruit and Vegetable Production, Vol. 76, no. 1, June 27, 2007.
If pumpkins and apples had nutrition labels…
Pumpkins and apples provide food energy and several key vitamins and minerals, and they are cholesterol-free!
Here are some of the 29 available nutrients found in pumpkins, squash and apples:
12.61 milligrams — The amount of available vitamin A found in pumpkins and squash.
0.01 milligrams — The amount of available vitamin A found in apples.
14.78 milligrams — The amount of available potassium found in pumpkins and squash.
30.54 milligrams — The amount of available potassium found in apples.
0.46 grams — The amount of available carbohydrates found in pumpkins and squash.
4.05 grams — The amount of available carbohydrates found in apples.
0.01 grams — The amount of available fat found in pumpkins and squash.
0.10 grams — The amount of available fat found in apples.
1.86 kilocalories — The amount of available energy found in pumpkins and squash.
15.67 kilocalories — The amount of available energy found in apples.
Source: CANSIM, table 003-0080 (Food Consumption in Canada).
The amount of fun and fright derived from carving a Jack-o’-lantern out of a pumpkin, though, is immeasurable!
A vampire’s favourite hangout
37 — The
number of establishments producing coffins
and caskets made of wood in Canada in 2003. In 2000, there were 73 such establishments.
5 — The number of establishments producing burial caskets made of iron or steel in Canada in 2003. In 2000, there were 2 such establishments in Canada.
Source: Custom data provided by Manufacturing and Energy Division.
Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory
374 — The number of patents issued for inventions (any patentable product, process, machine, manufacture or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement of any of these) in Canada in 2005.
Source: Summary tables, Intellectual property in the higher education sector.
$14.4 billion — The total industrial spending on research and development (R&D) in 2004, of which $13.5 billion or 94% went for current expenditures such as wages and salaries.
Source: “Research and development activities”, The Daily, Friday, December 15, 2006 .
88 — The number of firms involved in nanotechnology in Canada in 2005.
$40 million — The amount of expenditures on nanotechnology research and development in Canada in 2005, a 12% increase from 2004.
Source: The Media Room’s Spotlight on “Nanotechnology”.
Costumes
In addition to Hallowe’en costumes and costumes intended for theatrical, masquerade and lodge use, the “all other cut and sew clothing manufacturing” sector includes the production of academic caps and gowns, team athletic uniforms, baseball and basketball uniforms, waterproof capes and clothing, clerical vestments, hospital gowns, and so on.
581 — The total number of employees across Canada in 2005 in the “all other cut and sew clothing manufacturing” sector (NAICS category 315299), which includes Hallowe’en costume making.
Source: Custom data provided by Manufacturing and Energy Division.
3% — The proportion of the consumer goods rental industry's total operating revenue that is represented by formal wear and costume rental.
Source: “Consumer goods rental industry”, The Daily, Wednesday, January 24, 2007.
Have a safe and happy Hallowe’en!
For more information about this page or for help conjuring up more data, don’t be afraid to contact Media Relations.
