Canada at a Glance, 2022
Population

Table of contents

Table 1
Census population counts by province or territory
Table summary
This table displays the results of Census population counts by province or territory 2011, 2016, 2021 and 2011 to 2021, calculated using number and percent change units of measure (appearing as column headers).
2011 2016 2021 2011 to 2021
number percent change
Canada 33,476,688 35,151,728 36,991,981 10.5
Newfoundland and Labrador 514,536 519,716 510,550 -0.8
Prince Edward Island 140,204 142,907 154,331 10.1
Nova Scotia 921,727 923,598 969,383 5.2
New Brunswick 751,171 747,101 775,610 3.3
Quebec 7,903,001 8,164,361 8,501,833 7.6
Ontario 12,851,821 13,448,494 14,223,942 10.7
Manitoba 1,208,268 1,278,365 1,342,153 11.1
Saskatchewan 1,033,381 1,098,352 1,132,505 9.6
Alberta 3,645,257 4,067,175 4,262,635 16.9
British Columbia 4,400,057 4,648,055 5,000,879 13.7
Yukon 33,897 35,874 40,232 18.7
Northwest Territories 41,462 41,786 41,070 -0.9
Nunavut 31,906 35,944 36,858 15.5
Source: Statistics Canada, 2011, 2016 and 2021 censuses of population.

Did you know?

  • Out of all the provinces, the largest population changes between 2011 and 2021 were recorded in Alberta (+16.9%), British Columbia (+13.7%) and Manitoba (+11.1%).

Chart 1 Population growth

Data table for Chart 1 
Data table for Chart 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Population growth Population growth, Natural increase and International migratory increase, calculated using thousands units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Population growth Natural increase International migratory increase
thousands
1980/1981 304.25 201.60 122.71
1981/1982 297.03 200.12 118.53
1982/1983 249.51 197.07 74.05
1983/1984 240.60 200.37 61.91
1984/1985 235.06 197.18 59.50
1985/1986 258.16 192.03 86.30
1986/1987 346.32 190.42 158.57
1987/1988 345.15 180.12 167.70
1988/1989 485.03 195.63 292.07
1989/1990 414.36 210.67 206.35
1990/1991 346.28 210.49 140.05
1991/1992 333.84 206.14 151.89
1992/1993 313.50 190.37 147.25
1993/1994 315.90 179.70 160.32
1994/1995 301.65 172.61 153.16
1995/1996 307.91 162.69 167.55
1996/1997 295.73 140.09 165.62
1997/1998 249.23 127.44 131.77
1998/1999 246.11 120.66 135.43
1999/2000 284.44 119.68 174.77
2000/2001 335.17 107.99 236.70
2001/2002 339.18 107.66 237.94
2002/2003 283.95 106.62 183.75
2003/2004 296.63 108.93 194.13
2004/2005 303.10 109.36 200.15
2005/2006 327.42 120.59 216.09
2006/2007 317.85 127.09 219.75
2007/2008 358.09 137.17 249.99
2008/2009 381.78 141.58 269.18
2009/2010 375.99 142.24 262.75
2010/2011 334.44 131.46 230.98
2011/2012 374.89 136.43 260.56
2012/2013 368.73 129.95 260.82
2013/2014 354.48 129.23 247.29
2014/2015 265.47 117.15 170.35
2015/2016 406.58 121.49 304.05
2016/2017 435.75 105.64 330.11
2017/2018 519.85 92.99 426.86
2018/2019 536.15 89.98 446.17
2019/2020 435.98 73.42 362.56
2020/2021 208.90 52.40 156.50
Notes: Until 2015/2016 inclusively, population growth is not equal to the sum of natural increase and international migratory increase because residual deviation must also be considered in the calculation. These data are subject to revisions and may have changed after the publication of this chart.
Source: Statistics Canada, table 17-10-0008-01.

Did you know?

  • Population growth in 2020/2021 sharply decreased from previous years because of the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on international migration. Natural increase (births minus deaths) declined by 28.6% from 2019/2020 to 2020/2021, while international migration dropped by 131.7%.


Table 2
Top 10 most populated census metropolitan areas
Table summary
This table displays the results of Top 10 most populated census metropolitan areas 2011, 2021 and 2011 to 2021, calculated using number and percent change units of measure (appearing as column headers).
2011 2021 2011 to 2021
number percent change
Total population 33,476,688 36,991,981 10.5
Toronto 5,583,064 6,202,225 11.1
Montréal 3,824,221 4,291,732 12.2
Vancouver 2,313,328 2,642,825 14.2
Ottawa–Gatineau 1,236,324 1,488,307 20.4
Calgary 1,214,839 1,481,806 22.0
Edmonton 1,159,869 1,418,118 22.3
Québec 765,706 839,311 9.6
Winnipeg 730,018 834,678 14.3
Hamilton 721,053 785,184 8.9
Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo 477,160 575,847 20.7
Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 and 2021 censuses of population.

Did you know?

  • In 2020/2021, Ontario (-17,085) and Alberta (-11,831) experienced the largest net losses to interprovincial migration, with many out-migrants moving to British Columbia. British Columbia had the largest number of in-migrants in 2020/2021 (70,865).
  • The Atlantic provinces all recorded a net gain from interprovincial migration in 2020/2021.

Chart 2 Interprovincial migration by province or territory, 2020/2021

Data table for Chart 2 
Data table for Chart 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Immigrants admitted in Canada 2001 and 2021, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).
2001 2021
number
Territories 173 932
B.C. 38,484 69,326
Alta. 16,406 40,053
Sask. 1,703 10,961
Man. 4,592 16,587
Ont. 148,654 198,530
Que. 37,604 50,301
Atlantic region 3,022 19,060
Note: These data are subject to revisions and may have changed after the publication of this chart.
Source: Statistics Canada, table 17-10-0040-01.

Table 3
Population by language spoken most often at home, selected languages
Table summary
This table displays the results of Population by language spoken most often at home 2016, 2021 and 2016 to 2021, calculated using number and % change units of measure (appearing as column headers).
2016 2021 2016 to 2021
number % change
Total populationTable 3 Note 1 34,767,255 36,620,955 5.3
English 22,162,870 23,376,200 5.5
French 6,943,800 7,044,855 1.5
Mandarin 462,890 530,945 14.7
Punjabi (Panjabi) 349,140 520,390 49.0
Yue (Cantonese) 400,215 393,430 -1.7
Spanish 263,510 317,365 20.4
Arabic 223,540 285,915 27.9
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) 213,790 275,045 28.7
Persian languagesTable 3 Note 2 143,020 179,745 25.7
Urdu 128,785 158,040 22.7
Other languagesTable 3 Note 3 3,475,695 3,539,025 1.8
Note 1

Excluding institutional residents.

Return to note 1 referrer

Note 2

Persian languages include Dari, Iranian Persian and Persian (Farsi), not otherwise specified.

Return to note 2 referrer

Note 3

This category includes all other languages not listed above, as well as multiple reponses.

Return to note 3 referrer

Sources: Statistics Canada, 2016 and 2021 censuses of population.

Chart 3 Life expectancy at birth by sex, Canada, 1980 to 2020

Data table for Chart 3 
Data table for Chart 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Life expectancy at birth by sex. The information is grouped by year (appearing as row headers), Males and Females, calculated using age (in years) units of measure (appearing as column headers).
year Males Females
age (in years)
1980 71.59 78.79
1981 72.01 79.16
1982 72.33 79.29
1983 72.68 79.61
1984 73.01 79.82
1985 73.02 79.80
1986 73.22 79.87
1987 73.53 80.19
1988 73.61 80.27
1989 73.92 80.49
1990 74.30 80.73
1991 74.53 80.81
1992 74.76 81.07
1993 74.70 80.86
1994 74.94 80.95
1995 75.07 81.03
1996 75.43 81.15
1997 75.71 81.25
1998 75.97 81.41
1999 76.20 81.61
2000 76.64 81.82
2001 76.92 82.00
2002 77.16 82.02
2003 77.32 82.23
2004 77.68 82.42
2005 77.82 82.52
2006 78.29 82.91
2007 78.29 82.91
2008 78.51 83.05
2009 78.91 83.33
2010 79.21 83.54
2011 79.39 83.68
2012 79.61 83.82
2013 79.74 83.85
2014 79.76 83.91
2015 79.84 83.89
2016 79.92 84.03
2017 79.75 84.02
2018 79.80 83.99
2019 80.18 84.38
2020 79.49 83.96
Source: Statistics Canada. Life tables, Canada, provinces and territories, Catalogue no. 84-537-X.

Did you know?

  • Life expectancy in Canada has increased significantly since 1980, and the gap between men and women has narrowed.

To learn more

Population and demography statistics (statcan.gc.ca)




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© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2022

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Catalogue no. 12-581-X

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