Canada’s Population

Canada’s population was estimated at 33,739,900 on 1st July 2009 and in the second quarter of 2009, the Canadian population grew by 121,200 (0.36%). The increase was mainly due to international migration, which totalled 84,800, the second-highest figure for a second quarter since 1972.

The number of births in Canada in the second quarter of 2009 was estimated at 96,200 which was the largest number of second-quarter births since 1996. This upward trend in births is also evident in a number of other industrialised countries.

Alberta
Alberta recorded the fastest population growth rate at 0.59% due mainly to immigration and natural increase. Alberta’s population growth was, however, lower than in the second quarter of 2008. The slowdown was mostly due to a decline in the number of non-permanent residents and interprovincial migration. Alberta’s interprovincial migration gain of 4,700 for the second quarter of 2009 was still the largest in Canada.

Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia
Immigration was partly responsible for population increases in Manitoba (+0.48%), Saskatchewan (+0.44%) and British Columbia (+0.39%). For Saskatchewan, it was the highest second-quarter growth rate since 1975, and for Manitoba, the strongest growth since the current record-keeping system was introduced in 1971.

Ontario
Ontario’s population grew moderately by 0.34% from April to June 2009, the smallest second-quarter increase since 1993. The slowdown was primarily due to interprovincial migration losses and a decrease in immigration. The migration losses in Ontario reached 4,000, the largest second-quarter migration deficit since 1990. Ontario has been experiencing losses in its quarterly interprovincial migration exchanges since the first quarter of 2003. Ontario received 30,100 immigrants from April to June 2009, a slight decrease compared to the second quarter of 2008. This was the seventh consecutive quarter in which Ontario’s population growth has been below the national average.

Quebec
With population growth of 0.31%, Quebec recorded the largest second-quarter increase since 1991. The gain was partly due to an increase in the number of non-permanent residents and immigration. At 7,200, the number of non-permanent residents for Quebec from April to June 2009 was the highest quarterly level for this province since 1988. There were 22,400 births in Quebec from April to June 2009, the most second-quarter births the province has had since 1996.

Prince Edward Island
From April to June, Prince Edward Island had the fastest population growth rate in the Atlantic provinces at 0.53%. The increase was partly due to higher international migration following an increase in the number of immigrants. It was the province’s highest second-quarter growth rate since 1978.

Newfoundland &Labrador
From April to June 2009, Newfoundland & Labrador’s population climbed 0.28%, the highest second-quarter growth rate since 1983. In contrast to the other Atlantic provinces, the increase was mostly due to a gain in interprovincial migration. It was also the fourth consecutive quarter in which Newfoundland & Labrador has posted gains in its exchanges with the other provinces and territories.

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
There were also population increases in the rest of the Atlantic provinces, as New Brunswick and Nova Scotia grew by 0.07% and 0.05% respectively. The gains were mostly due to immigration.

data from Statistics Canada