Immigration and growth
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In 2006, international migration accounted for two-thirds of Canada's population growth. The remaining third was from natural increase (the growth that results from births minus deaths).
Until the early 1990s, natural increase was almost always the main engine of population growth. However, in the mid-1990s, a reversal occurred: international migration became the main engine of growth, particularly because of lower fertility rates and an aging population.
Deaths are expected to start outnumbering births around 2030. From that point, immigration would be the only growth factor for the Canadian population.
Growth of many developed countries is expected to fall into the negatives in the coming decades. In Canada, no long-term decline is projected. Nevertheless, Canada is slowly heading toward zero growth, while the United States is projecting a relatively stable growth. The population of some industrialized countries, such as Japan, is already declining.
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