There are a couple of steps to make these Population Signature charts.

First, age the people from one census by five years and compare them with the number of people in the next census (censuses count people by their age, every five years). If there were no migration and no deaths, then the numbers would be the same; however, the numbers are not the same; we can see the differences by creating charts, I like to call "Population Signatures", because each geographical region has it's own unique signature showing the differences in the change in the age distribution.

To compare the number of retirees added to the Parksville/Qualicum area's population between 2001 and 2006, with the number of children and their adults, I add up the number of children under one year to 4 years old inclusive to the number of additional 5 to 17 year olds and the number of additional "working adults" 30 to 50 years of age. If I had included people up to the age of 55, that would have added close to 200 people.

Take a look at the way Population Signatures were created for Canada, BC, and Alberta in the Global and Local Population Change summary of the presentation to the Qualicum / Parksville Chamber of Commerce, January 2008.