New census data shows the population of the metropolitan area of Thunder Bay fell over the last five years, during a period of time that saw Canada spiral into the most serious economic tailspin since the Great Depression.

In the 2011 census data released Wednesday, it showed about 800 fewer people in the city compared with five years ago.

Statistics Canada pegs the current population at just over 108,000 thousand.

The metropolitan area, including rural townships, also dropped in population, by about one per cent.

The metro area has just under 122,000 people.

As a whole, northwestern Ontario also dropped in population. The District of Thunder Bay lost two per cent since 2006, Rainy River fell by about six per cent and the Kenora District dropped by 11 per cent.

Thunder Bay decline contrasts with Canada/Ontario growth

The Thunder Bay area's population decline contrasted with a national growth rate of 5.9 per cent, while the population of Ontario increased by 5.7 per cent.

Canada's population on census day — May 10 — was 33,476,688, Statistics Canada reported. The census indicated that Thunder Bay ranked No. 32 among the country's 33 census metropolitan areas.

The national census is conducted every five years. The information published Wednesday is the first of several releases of data to come from Statistics Canada over the next year and longer. The data will eventually paint a detailed picture of the country, right down to the local level — including age breakdowns of the population, family makeup, languages spoken, immigration and ethnic origin, the level of education attained and income earned.

At the national level, the 2011 census showed Canada's population grew the fastest of the G8 countries over the last five years — ahead of the United States (4.4 per cent), the United Kingdom (3.5 per cent), Italy (3.2 per cent), France (2.8 per cent), Russia (0.1 per cent), Japan (no change) and Germany (which had a population decrease of 0.8 per cent).

Looking west

The western provinces, where the recession had less of an impact than in central and eastern Canada, led the way in population growth. Alberta saw the highest increase at 10.8 per cent, followed by British Columbia (7.0 per cent) and Saskatchewan (6.7 per cent). Manitoba (5.2 per cent) was the only western province with a population increase below the national average.

Other provinces below the national growth rate were Nova Scotia (0.9 per cent), Newfoundland and Labrador (1.8 per cent), New Brunswick (2.9 per cent), Prince Edward Island (3.2 per cent), Quebec (4.7 per cent) and Ontario (5.7 per cent).

Among the northern territories, the population changed by 0.0 per cent in the Northwest Territories, 11.6 per cent in the Yukon and 8.3 in Nunavut. Ontario is still the country's most populous province, with a population of 12,851,821.

The population of other provinces and territories: Quebec, 7,903,001; British Columbia, 4,400,057; Alberta, 3,645,257; Manitoba, 1,208,268; Saskatchewan, 1,033,381; Nova Scotia, 921,727; New Brunswick, 751,171; Newfoundland and Labrador, 514,536; Prince Edward Island, 140,204; Northwest Territories, 41,462; Yukon, 33,897 and Nunavut, 31,906.

Here is a breakdown of census population information for some communities in the Thunder Bay district:

Community	2011	2006	% Change
Thunder Bay	108,359	109,160	-0.7
Neebing	1,986	2,184	-9.1
Oliver Paipoonge	5,732	5,757	-0.4
Gillies	473	544	-13.1
Greenstone	4,724	4,886	-3.3
O'Connor	685	720	-4.9
Conmee	764	740	3.2
Shuniah	2,737	2,913	-6.0
Marathon	3,353	3,863	-13.2

With files from The Canadian Press