Canada’s population reached an estimated 41,798,407 on July 1, up 189,425 from a year earlier.. The 0.5% increase was the slowest annual growth rate since 1915-16.
Growth has fallen sharply since 2023-24, when the population rose 2.8%. The change is largely tied to lower international migration.
The number of non-permanent residents fell by 154,614 over the past year, the largest annual decline since comparable records began in 1971-72. Canada had an estimated 2,779,774 non-permanent residents on July 1, or 6.7% of the population. The number of study permit holders fell by 140,827.
Canada admitted 368,224 permanent immigrants during the year, the fourth consecutive annual decline and the first total below 400,000 since 2021-22.
Alberta grew fastest among the provinces at 1.5%, although growth slowed in every province. Ontario grew by 0.3%, Quebec by 0.2% and British Columbia by 0.1%. The Northwest Territories was the only jurisdiction to lose population, falling by 127 people.
The population in its 20s fell by 154,973, or 2.8%, over the year. Canada’s median age rose to 40.9 years.
Statistics Canada also revised its population estimates dating back to July 2021.