The Daily — Canada's population estimates, first quarter 2024 (2024)

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Released:2024-06-19

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Quarterly population estimate — Canada

41,012,563

April1,2024

0.6%

(quarterly change)

Source(s): Table 17-10-0009-01.

Quarterly population estimate — N.L.

541,391

April1,2024

0.2%

(quarterly change)

Source(s): Table 17-10-0009-01.

Quarterly population estimate — P.E.I.

177,081

April1,2024

0.5%

(quarterly change)

Source(s): Table 17-10-0009-01.

Quarterly population estimate — N.S.

1,072,545

Canada's population surpasses41million in the first quarter of2024

Canada's population surpassed41million people in the first quarter of2024, to reach41,012,563on April1,2024. This milestone was reached less than one year after Statistics Canada announced that the population hit the40million mark, on June16,2023.

The population grew by242,673people during the first quarter of2024, which corresponds to a quarterly increase of0.6%. This growth rate is the same as that seen in the fourth quarter of2023(+0.6%), as well as in the first quarter of2023(+0.6%).

Following recent trends, almost all the population growth in Canada (99.3%, or240,955people) in the first quarter of2024was attributable to international migration (including both permanent and temporary immigration). For permanent immigration, this growth is consistent with the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) target for immigrants in2024. For temporary immigration, most of this growth occurred prior to the announcement that caps would be placed on the number of permits issued to non-permanent residents (NPRs) in2024.

Without temporary immigration, Canada's population growth rate during the first quarter of2024would have been0.3%. From2001to2021, the first quarter growth rate in Canada ranged from0.1% to0.3%.

Strong growth from permanent immigration continues

In almost every quarter since the third quarter of2021, Canada has welcomed more than100,000immigrants per quarter—including121,758people in the first quarter of2024.

In the first quarter of2024, the Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia (+3,999), New Brunswick (+3,999) and Prince Edward Island (+1,330) each welcomed their highest number of immigrants in any quarter since comparable data became available in the third quarter of1971. The increase in permanent immigration to the Maritimes is mainly in response to the growing need for skilled workers.

Temporary immigration remains high, but may show signs of slowing

Canada added131,810NPRs to the population in the first quarter of2024. This is higher than the increase observed in the first quarter of2023(+108,435). However, the net increase in the first quarter of2024was one of the lowest quarterly net increases since higher levels of temporary migration began in the second quarter of2022. It is also lower than the record highs seen in the second (+233,361) and third (+312,758) quarters of2023.

All provinces and territories saw an increase in the estimated number of NPRs in the first quarter of2024, except for Prince Edward Island (-338) and New Brunswick (-218), which had fewer NPRs at the end of the quarter than at the beginning. Yukon had the same estimated number of NPRs at the beginning of the quarter as at the end.

The total number of NPRs living in Canada increased for the ninth quarter in a row to reach a record high of2,793,594on April1,2024. Of these NPRs,2,430,282were permit holders (work or study) and their family members and363,312were asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups (with or without work or study permits).

While the estimated number of people who hold only work permits (+94,299) increased in the first quarter of2024, the number of people who hold only study permits (-24,594) decreased. A lower number of people who hold only study permits is not uncommon in a first quarter, but the magnitude of the decrease in the first quarter of2024was greater than that in the same quarter of2023(-16,003).

Differences between data on non-permanent residents from Statistics Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Statistics Canada collaborates closely with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and other federal departments to estimate the number of non-permanent residents (NPRs) living in Canada. The demographic estimates from Statistics Canada are updated on an ongoing basis, as new or revised data become available from its partners. Caution should be exercised before comparing data on NPRs from Statistics Canada's Demographic Estimates Program with those from IRCC due to the different objectives of the two data sources.

Alberta still gaining the most from other provinces and territories

Interprovincial migration (89,408migrants) was slower in the first quarter of2024than in the same quarter one year earlier (97,917migrants; -8.7%).

Most provinces and territories had net losses in their exchanges with other provinces or territories in the first quarter of2024, except for Alberta (+12,482), New Brunswick (+1,627) and Yukon (+60). This was the11th straight quarter of net gains for Alberta, following losses in19out of24quarters from the third quarter of2015to the second quarter of2021.

The largest contributors to the net gain in Alberta were people moving there from Ontario (9,398in-migrants) and British Columbia (9,218in-migrants). Conversely, when people left Alberta for other places in Canada, they tended to move to British Columbia (5,744out-migrants) and Ontario (3,893out-migrants).

For the10th quarter in a row, Ontario (-9,020) had the largest net loss of people to other provinces and territories in the first quarter of2024. Ontario has posted net losses in interprovincial migration for the past17quarters (since the first quarter of2020).

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Note to readers

The demographic estimates for the first quarter of2024released today are considered preliminary and will be updated following the standard procedure followed by Statistics Canada for decades. They are based on2021Census counts, adjusted for census net undercoverage and incompletely enumerated reserves and settlements. To these counts, the population growth estimates for the period from May11,2021, to the date of the estimate are added.

Canada's population clock (real-time model)

Canada's population clock (real-time model) was updated today with the most recent data from quarterly population estimates released by Statistics Canada.

Canada's population clock is an interactive learning tool aiming to give Canadians a sense of the pace of the country's population renewal. The population estimates and census counts remain the measures used by various government programs.

Definitions

For the purpose of calculating rates, the denominator is the average population during the period (the average of the start-of-period and end-of-period populations). For the sake of brevity, the terms growth, population growth and population growth rate have the same meaning.

Population growth or total growth in Canada is equal to natural increase (births minus deaths) plus international migratory increase (immigrants plus net non-permanent residents minus net emigration). At the provincial and territorial level, total population growth also includes interprovincial migratory increase.

Net international migration refers to the total number of moves between Canada and abroad that result in a change in the usual place of residence. It is calculated by adding immigrants, returning emigrants and net non-permanent residents, then subtracting emigrants.

An immigrant refers to a person who is a permanent resident or a landed immigrant. Such a person has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Persons who are born abroad to a Canadian parent are not immigrants but are included in the returning emigrant component. In Statistics Canada's Demographic Estimates Program, the terms immigrant, landed immigrant and permanent resident are used interchangeably.

Non-permanent resident refers to a person from another country with a usual place of residence in Canada and who has a work or study permit, or who has claimed refugee status (asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups). Family members living with work or study permit holders are also included unless these family members are already Canadian citizens, landed immigrants (permanent residents), or non-permanent residents themselves. In Statistics Canada's Demographic Estimates Program, the terms non-permanent resident and temporary immigrant are used interchangeably. Caution should be used when comparing data related to non-permanent residents from the Statistics Canada's Demographic Estimates Program and data on temporary residents from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) since these populations are not fully comparable.

Permit holders and their family members are non-permanent residents who are not asylum claimants, but who hold a permit (for work, study or temporary residence). This classification also includes their family members who are not Canadian citizens, landed immigrants (permanent residents) or non-permanent residents themselves.

Persons who claimed refugee status include asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups. Separate estimates for asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups are not available. Asylum claimants, protected persons and related groups are defined as:

Asylum claimant refers to a foreign national who has made a refugee claim while in Canada on a temporary basis and whose claim is pending decision.
Protected person refers to a person who has made a claim in Canada and received a positive decision. For population estimates, protected persons leave this population if they obtain permanent residence.
Related groups include those who received a negative decision or withdrew or abandoned their claim and have not yet regularized their status or departed Canada.

Interprovincial migration represents all movement from one province or territory to another involving a change in the usual place of residence. A person who takes up residence in another province or territory is an out-migrant with reference to the province or territory of origin and an in-migrant with reference to the province or territory of destination.

Acknowledgements

The Demographic Estimates Program of Statistics Canada is grateful for the ongoing partnership with IRCC, which greatly contributes to the accuracy of the estimation of permanent and temporary immigrants, as well as for the permanent support from IRCC.

Products

The product "Quarterly demographic estimates, provinces and territories: Interactive dashboard" (Catalogue number71-607-X) is also available.

The product "Canada's population clock (real-time model)" (Catalogue number71-607-X) is also available.

The Population and demography statistics and Older adults and population aging statistics portals are also available.

Contact information

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).

Date modified:: 2024-06-19