With the arrival of the 2015 updates to the PCensus demographic database comes an eager desire to see just how the population landscape of our city is changing from a statistical point of view. It was a quiet Saturday morning when the database updates were received, and the day was quickly consumed with getting them uploaded and available for public access. The information provided by PCensus provides an overview of how the population is developing in terms of family structure, age and gender, occupation, income, and spending patterns.
The stories told by these numbers are immeasurable and applicable to a wide breadth of research needs. Local daycares may be interested to know that in 2015, 5357 people in the City of Thunder Bay population are below the age of five. Pet food or pet supply businesses would want to know that more than $15M will be spent this year on pets and their needs. More specifically, the neighborhoods from which people spend the most on their pets are spread across the city with the highest expenditure originating just south-west of the County Fair Plaza. Alternatively, the data shows that over $1.5M will be spent this year on fresh carrots in Thunder Bay.
This is only a tiny surface scratch to show what is here. Over the years the PCensus database has been introduced and used by entrepreneurs, local organizations, students, and others. In 2014 alone, TBPL staff provided 1:1 support to at least 50 new or existing businesses in Thunder Bay that needed to learn how to use PCensus and access demographic information that was vital to their business plans, research efforts or loan/grant applications. Research workshops have been offered, and continue to be offered, in partnership with the PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise, the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC), the Thunder Bay & District Entrepreneur Centre, Northwest Employment Works (NEW), and other incredible organizations/groups that support the growth and development of Thunder Bay. Naturally we also make use of the available data to help TBPL understand our communities and aid in the coordination of future library services and facilities.
PCensus can be accessed for free and by anyone (no need for a library card) at the Brodie or Waverley Resource Libraries. More information and a tutorial are available online at www.tbpl.ca / Research / Business & Careers. Other demographic and market research databases include InfoCanada, CBCA Complete, CPI.Q, Gateway to Northwestern Ontario History and more. Check out the Business & Careers section of our website or come in and ask us about it to learn more.
Jesse Roberts
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