Statistics Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada
Skip to content |

Common menu bar links

Home > Publications > 95-632-XWE > Selected Historical Data from the Census of Agriculture >

Page content follows

Section 2 - Agricultural perspectives from seven censuses, Canada and provinces: census years 1976 to 2006

  • Canada
  • Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Nova Scotia
  • New Brunswick
  • Quebec

  • Ontario
  • Manitoba
  • Saskatchewan
  • Alberta
  • British Columbia

    • Canada

    Table 2.3
    Farms classified by operating arrangements, Canada and provinces, census years 1976 to 2006
    Canada 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
    Operating arrangements1 farms reporting percentage distribution
    Individual or family farm2 311,609 275,779 240,942 177,695 168,007 142,915 130,864 92.0 86.6 82.2 63.5 60.8 57.9 57.1
    Partnership with a written agreement 11,832 11,486 12,147 20,029 19,465 16,081 12,745 3.5 3.6 4.1 7.2 7.0 6.5 5.6
    Partnership with no written agreement .. 18,048 22,302 57,995 55,433 54,091 48,430 ... 5.7 7.6 20.7 20.0 21.9 21.1
    Family corporation 11,947 10,742 15,091 19,230 27,082 28,854 32,278 3.5 3.4 5.1 6.9 9.8 11.7 14.1
    Non-family corporation 1,991 1,247 1,286 4,035 5,605 4,151 4,339 0.6 0.4 0.4 1.4 2.0 1.7 1.9
    Other types 1,173 1,059 1,321 1,059 956 831 717 0.3 0.3 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3
    Total 338,552 318,361 293,089 280,043 276,548 246,923 229,373 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

    Symbols

    • x suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act
    • 0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
    • xxfor confidentiality reasons, data have been combined with those of the preceding size class
    • .. not available for a specific reference period
    • ...not applicable

    Notes

    1. In 1991 and 1996, respondents were permitted to report more than one operating arrangement. For presentation purposes in this table, each multiple response was assigned to a single operating arrangement.
    2. The order and wording of the questions on operating arrangements were changed in 1996 primarily because in previous censuses individual or family holdings were being over-reported. While previous censuses asked if the operation was an individual or family holding, the 1996 Census of Agriculture replaced this question with one asking if the operation was a sole proprietorship.

    Source

    Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture.

    Newfoundland and Labrador

    Table 2.3
    Farms classified by operating arrangements, Canada and provinces, census years 1976 to 2006
    Newfoundland and Labrador 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
    Operating arrangements1 farms reporting percentage distribution
    Individual or family farm2 791 555 497 449 446 397 318 90.1 81.7 76.3 61.9 60.1 61.7 57.0
    Partnership with a written agreement 23 10 12 11 12 18 10 2.6 1.5 1.8 1.5 1.6 2.8 1.8
    Partnership with no written agreement .. 44 33 84 69 63 50 ... 6.5 5.1 11.6 9.3 9.8 9.0
    Family corporation 32 37 64 122 148 106 123 3.6 5.4 9.8 16.8 19.9 16.5 22.0
    Non-family corporation 2 6 11 19 28 26 27 0.2 0.9 1.7 2.6 3.8 4.0 4.8
    Other types 30 27 34 40 39 33 30 3.4 4.0 5.2 5.5 5.3 5.1 5.4
    Total 878 679 651 725 742 643 558 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

    Symbols

    • x suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act
    • 0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
    • xxfor confidentiality reasons, data have been combined with those of the preceding size class
    • .. not available for a specific reference period
    • ...not applicable

    Notes

    1. In 1991 and 1996, respondents were permitted to report more than one operating arrangement. For presentation purposes in this table, each multiple response was assigned to a single operating arrangement.
    2. The order and wording of the questions on operating arrangements were changed in 1996 primarily because in previous censuses individual or family holdings were being over-reported. While previous censuses asked if the operation was an individual or family holding, the 1996 Census of Agriculture replaced this question with one asking if the operation was a sole proprietorship.

    Source

    Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture.

    Prince Edward Island

    Table 2.3
    Farms classified by operating arrangements, Canada and provinces, census years 1976 to 2006
    Prince Edward Island 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
    Operating arrangements1 farms reporting percentage distribution
    Individual or family farm2 3,413 2,639 2,278 1,620 1,424 1,128 1,018 92.8 83.7 80.4 68.6 64.2 61.1 59.9
    Partnership with a written agreement 100 168 174 169 168 141 106 2.7 5.3 6.1 7.2 7.6 7.6 6.2
    Partnership with no written agreement .. 211 197 357 302 304 272 ... 6.7 7.0 15.1 13.6 16.5 16.0
    Family corporation 142 119 154 180 255 245 273 3.9 3.8 5.4 7.6 11.5 13.3 16.1
    Non-family corporation 14 6 19 27 56 20 21 0.4 0.2 0.7 1.1 2.5 1.1 1.2
    Other types 8 11 11 8 12 7 10 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.5 0.4 0.6
    Total 3,677 3,154 2,833 2,361 2,217 1,845 1,700 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

    Symbols

    • x suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act
    • 0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
    • xxfor confidentiality reasons, data have been combined with those of the preceding size class
    • .. not available for a specific reference period
    • ...not applicable

    Notes

    1. In 1991 and 1996, respondents were permitted to report more than one operating arrangement. For presentation purposes in this table, each multiple response was assigned to a single operating arrangement.
    2. The order and wording of the questions on operating arrangements were changed in 1996 primarily because in previous censuses individual or family holdings were being over-reported. While previous censuses asked if the operation was an individual or family holding, the 1996 Census of Agriculture replaced this question with one asking if the operation was a sole proprietorship.

    Source

    Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture.

    Nova Scotia

    Table 2.3
    Farms classified by operating arrangements, Canada and provinces, census years 1976 to 2006
    Nova Scotia 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
    Operating arrangements1 farms reporting percentage distribution
    Individual or family farm2 5,068 4,435 3,569 2,737 3,004 2,600 2,452 93.3 87.9 83.3 68.8 67.5 66.3 64.6
    Partnership with a written agreement 144 175 214 269 271 228 196 2.6 3.5 5.0 6.8 6.1 5.8 5.2
    Partnership with no written agreement .. 221 209 566 556 609 572 ... 4.4 4.9 14.2 12.5 15.5 15.1
    Family corporation 174 173 222 330 483 410 487 3.2 3.4 5.2 8.3 10.8 10.5 12.8
    Non-family corporation 30 23 49 69 120 70 80 0.6 0.5 1.1 1.7 2.7 1.8 2.1
    Other types 18 18 20 9 19 6 8 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.2
    Total 5,434 5,045 4,283 3,980 4,453 3,923 3,795 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

    Symbols

    • x suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act
    • 0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
    • xxfor confidentiality reasons, data have been combined with those of the preceding size class
    • .. not available for a specific reference period
    • ...not applicable

    Notes

    1. In 1991 and 1996, respondents were permitted to report more than one operating arrangement. For presentation purposes in this table, each multiple response was assigned to a single operating arrangement.
    2. The order and wording of the questions on operating arrangements were changed in 1996 primarily because in previous censuses individual or family holdings were being over-reported. While previous censuses asked if the operation was an individual or family holding, the 1996 Census of Agriculture replaced this question with one asking if the operation was a sole proprietorship.

    Source

    Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture.

    New Brunswick

    Table 2.3
    Farms classified by operating arrangements, Canada and provinces, census years 1976 to 2006
    New Brunswick 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
    Operating arrangements1 farms reporting percentage distribution
    Individual or family farm2 4,232 3,538 2,898 2,220 2,360 2,066 1,770 93.0 87.1 81.5 68.3 69.3 68.1 63.8
    Partnership with a written agreement 71 94 138 134 104 84 54 1.6 2.3 3.9 4.1 3.1 2.8 1.9
    Partnership with no written agreement .. 212 223 478 390 404 376 ... 5.2 6.3 14.7 11.5 13.3 13.5
    Family corporation 197 179 239 334 427 378 488 4.3 4.4 6.7 10.3 12.5 12.5 17.6
    Non-family corporation 29 27 42 77 95 97 75 0.6 0.7 1.2 2.4 2.8 3.2 2.7
    Other types 22 13 14 9 29 5 13 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.9 0.2 0.5
    Total 4,551 4,063 3,554 3,252 3,405 3,034 2,776 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

    Symbols

    • x suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act
    • 0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
    • xxfor confidentiality reasons, data have been combined with those of the preceding size class
    • .. not available for a specific reference period
    • ...not applicable

    Notes

    1. In 1991 and 1996, respondents were permitted to report more than one operating arrangement. For presentation purposes in this table, each multiple response was assigned to a single operating arrangement.
    2. The order and wording of the questions on operating arrangements were changed in 1996 primarily because in previous censuses individual or family holdings were being over-reported. While previous censuses asked if the operation was an individual or family holding, the 1996 Census of Agriculture replaced this question with one asking if the operation was a sole proprietorship.

    Source

    Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture.

    Quebec

    Table 2.3
    Farms classified by operating arrangements, Canada and provinces, census years 1976 to 2006
    Quebec 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
    Operating arrangements1 farms reporting percentage distribution
    Individual or family farm2 49,049 43,946 34,971 24,426 20,033 16,511 15,241 95.1 91.3 84.4 64.2 55.7 51.4 49.7
    Partnership with a written agreement 934 1,696 2,132 6,378 6,771 6,316 5,407 1.8 3.5 5.1 16.8 18.8 19.7 17.6
    Partnership with no written agreement .. 893 1,068 2,262 1,938 2,218 2,272 ... 1.9 2.6 5.9 5.4 6.9 7.4
    Family corporation 1,288 1,348 2,960 3,633 5,286 5,578 6,254 2.5 2.8 7.1 9.5 14.7 17.4 20.4
    Non-family corporation 212 194 246 1,319 1,863 1,477 1,472 0.4 0.4 0.6 3.5 5.2 4.6 4.8
    Other types 104 67 71 58 100 39 29 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.1
    Total 51,587 48,144 41,448 38,076 35,991 32,139 30,675 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

    Symbols

    • x suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act
    • 0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
    • xxfor confidentiality reasons, data have been combined with those of the preceding size class
    • .. not available for a specific reference period
    • ...not applicable

    Notes

    1. In 1991 and 1996, respondents were permitted to report more than one operating arrangement. For presentation purposes in this table, each multiple response was assigned to a single operating arrangement.
    2. The order and wording of the questions on operating arrangements were changed in 1996 primarily because in previous censuses individual or family holdings were being over-reported. While previous censuses asked if the operation was an individual or family holding, the 1996 Census of Agriculture replaced this question with one asking if the operation was a sole proprietorship.

    Source

    Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture.

    Ontario

    Table 2.3
    Farms classified by operating arrangements, Canada and provinces, census years 1976 to 2006
    Ontario 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
    Operating arrangements1 farms reporting percentage distribution
    Individual or family farm2 80,620 68,410 56,708 38,916 38,465 33,675 31,755 90.8 83.0 78.0 56.7 57.0 56.4 55.5
    Partnership with a written agreement 4,630 5,191 5,002 6,765 5,834 4,078 3,178 5.2 6.3 6.9 9.9 8.6 6.8 5.6
    Partnership with no written agreement .. 5,629 6,682 16,960 15,242 14,646 13,953 ... 6.8 9.2 24.7 22.6 24.5 24.4
    Family corporation 2,829 2,690 3,805 5,070 6,972 6,670 7,538 3.2 3.3 5.2 7.4 10.3 11.2 13.2
    Non-family corporation 602 428 387 857 937 605 733 0.7 0.5 0.5 1.2 1.4 1.0 1.3
    Other types 120 100 129 65 70 54 54 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
    Total 88,801 82,448 72,713 68,633 67,520 59,728 57,211 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

    Symbols

    • x suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act
    • 0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
    • xxfor confidentiality reasons, data have been combined with those of the preceding size class
    • .. not available for a specific reference period
    • ...not applicable

    Notes

    1. In 1991 and 1996, respondents were permitted to report more than one operating arrangement. For presentation purposes in this table, each multiple response was assigned to a single operating arrangement.
    2. The order and wording of the questions on operating arrangements were changed in 1996 primarily because in previous censuses individual or family holdings were being over-reported. While previous censuses asked if the operation was an individual or family holding, the 1996 Census of Agriculture replaced this question with one asking if the operation was a sole proprietorship.

    Source

    Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture.

    Manitoba

    Table 2.3
    Farms classified by operating arrangements, Canada and provinces, census years 1976 to 2006
    Manitoba 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
    Operating arrangements1 farms reporting percentage distribution
    Individual or family farm2 29,748 25,701 22,869 17,017 15,340 12,322 10,866 92.7 87.3 83.7 66.2 62.9 58.5 57.0
    Partnership with a written agreement 973 688 761 1,125 1,092 900 720 3.0 2.3 2.8 4.4 4.5 4.3 3.8
    Partnership with no written agreement .. 1,965 2,468 5,950 5,755 5,494 4,747 ... 6.7 9.0 23.1 23.6 26.1 24.9
    Family corporation 1,089 882 1,035 1,279 1,719 1,936 2,301 3.4 3.0 3.8 5.0 7.0 9.2 12.1
    Non-family corporation 165 85 81 207 372 356 361 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.8 1.5 1.7 1.9
    Other types 129 121 122 128 105 63 59 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3
    Total 32,104 29,442 27,336 25,706 24,383 21,071 19,054 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

    Symbols

    • x suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act
    • 0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
    • xxfor confidentiality reasons, data have been combined with those of the preceding size class
    • .. not available for a specific reference period
    • ...not applicable

    Notes

    1. In 1991 and 1996, respondents were permitted to report more than one operating arrangement. For presentation purposes in this table, each multiple response was assigned to a single operating arrangement.
    2. The order and wording of the questions on operating arrangements were changed in 1996 primarily because in previous censuses individual or family holdings were being over-reported. While previous censuses asked if the operation was an individual or family holding, the 1996 Census of Agriculture replaced this question with one asking if the operation was a sole proprietorship.

    Source

    Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture.

    Saskatchewan

    Table 2.3
    Farms classified by operating arrangements, Canada and provinces, census years 1976 to 2006
    Saskatchewan 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
    Operating arrangements1 farms reporting percentage distribution
    Individual or family farm2 65,281 59,671 54,478 44,899 40,418 33,463 28,860 92.0 88.6 85.9 73.8 70.9 66.1 65.1
    Partnership with a written agreement 2,266 1,378 1,381 1,678 1,561 1,373 980 3.2 2.0 2.2 2.8 2.7 2.7 2.2
    Partnership with no written agreement .. 4,003 4,960 10,870 10,520 10,418 8,401 ... 5.9 7.8 17.9 18.5 20.6 19.0
    Family corporation 2,631 1,768 2,092 2,594 3,589 4,602 5,380 3.7 2.6 3.3 4.3 6.3 9.1 12.1
    Non-family corporation 406 124 107 453 600 444 525 0.6 0.2 0.2 0.7 1.1 0.9 1.2
    Other types 374 374 413 346 307 298 183 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.4
    Total 70,958 67,318 63,431 60,840 56,995 50,598 44,329 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

    Symbols

    • x suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act
    • 0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
    • xxfor confidentiality reasons, data have been combined with those of the preceding size class
    • .. not available for a specific reference period
    • ...not applicable

    Notes

    1. In 1991 and 1996, respondents were permitted to report more than one operating arrangement. For presentation purposes in this table, each multiple response was assigned to a single operating arrangement.
    2. The order and wording of the questions on operating arrangements were changed in 1996 primarily because in previous censuses individual or family holdings were being over-reported. While previous censuses asked if the operation was an individual or family holding, the 1996 Census of Agriculture replaced this question with one asking if the operation was a sole proprietorship.

    Source

    Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture.

    Alberta

    Table 2.3
    Farms classified by operating arrangements, Canada and provinces, census years 1976 to 2006
    Alberta 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
    Operating arrangements1 farms reporting percentage distribution
    Individual or family farm2 55,737 50,169 47,862 35,875 35,938 30,409 27,815 91.2 86.4 82.8 62.7 60.9 56.7 56.3
    Partnership with a written agreement 2,120 1,446 1,654 2,455 2,664 2,135 1,458 3.5 2.5 2.9 4.3 4.5 4.0 2.9
    Partnership with no written agreement .. 3,723 4,794 14,287 14,008 14,012 12,462 ... 6.4 8.3 25.0 23.7 26.1 25.2
    Family corporation 2,595 2,269 2,864 3,663 5,248 6,124 6,714 4.2 3.9 5.0 6.4 8.9 11.4 13.6
    Non-family corporation 374 190 199 644 961 733 697 0.6 0.3 0.3 1.1 1.6 1.4 1.4
    Other types 304 259 404 321 188 239 285 0.5 0.4 0.7 0.6 0.3 0.4 0.6
    Total 61,130 58,056 57,777 57,245 59,007 53,652 49,431 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

    Symbols

    • x suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act
    • 0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
    • xxfor confidentiality reasons, data have been combined with those of the preceding size class
    • .. not available for a specific reference period
    • ...not applicable

    Notes

    1. In 1991 and 1996, respondents were permitted to report more than one operating arrangement. For presentation purposes in this table, each multiple response was assigned to a single operating arrangement.
    2. The order and wording of the questions on operating arrangements were changed in 1996 primarily because in previous censuses individual or family holdings were being over-reported. While previous censuses asked if the operation was an individual or family holding, the 1996 Census of Agriculture replaced this question with one asking if the operation was a sole proprietorship.

    Source

    Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture.

    British Columbia

    Table 2.3
    Farms classified by operating arrangements, Canada and provinces, census years 1976 to 2006
    British Columbia 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
    Operating arrangements1 farms reporting percentage distribution
    Individual or family farm2 17,670 16,715 14,812 9,536 10,579 10,344 10,769 90.9 83.5 77.7 49.6 48.4 51.0 54.3
    Partnership with a written agreement 571 640 679 1,045 988 808 636 2.9 3.2 3.6 5.4 4.5 4.0 3.2
    Partnership with no written agreement .. 1,147 1,668 6,181 6,653 5,923 5,325 ... 5.7 8.7 32.2 30.5 29.2 26.8
    Family corporation 970 1,277 1,656 2,025 2,955 2,805 2,720 5.0 6.4 8.7 10.5 13.5 13.8 13.7
    Non-family corporation 157 164 145 363 573 323 348 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.9 2.6 1.6 1.8
    Other types 64 69 103 75 87 87 46 0.3 0.3 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.2
    Total 19,432 20,012 19,063 19,225 21,835 20,290 19,844 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

    Symbols

    • x suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act
    • 0 true zero or a value rounded to zero
    • xxfor confidentiality reasons, data have been combined with those of the preceding size class
    • .. not available for a specific reference period
    • ...not applicable

    Notes

    1. In 1991 and 1996, respondents were permitted to report more than one operating arrangement. For presentation purposes in this table, each multiple response was assigned to a single operating arrangement.
    2. The order and wording of the questions on operating arrangements were changed in 1996 primarily because in previous censuses individual or family holdings were being over-reported. While previous censuses asked if the operation was an individual or family holding, the 1996 Census of Agriculture replaced this question with one asking if the operation was a sole proprietorship.

    Source

    Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture.
    Date Modified: 2009-01-30

    Top of Page
    Important Notices