Highlights

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1. On July 1, 2009, the population of Canada was estimated at 33,739,900. In the second quarter of 2009, Canada's population grew by 121,200 (0.36%). Although down slightly from 2008, this was the strongest growth since the early 1990s.
2. The increase could largely be attributed to the level of net international migration, which was 84,800, the second highest level for a second quarter since 1972.
3. The four western Canadian provinces all posted higher population growth than the Canadian average from April to June 2009, primarily owing to immigration.
4. Alberta was the province with the strongest population growth from April to June 2009, at 0.59%. Net international migration was the main driving force behind population growth in that province. This was the seventh straight quarter in which Alberta's population growth was larger than that of any other province.
5. The population of Ontario rose by 0.34% from April to June 2009, the lowest increase for a second quarter since 1993. The slowdown was primarily due to interprovincial migration losses and a decrease in immigration. This was the seventh straight quarter in which population growth in Ontario was lower than the national average.
6. During the second quarter, all of the Atlantic provinces saw their populations increase. This growth can be attributed to such factors as higher levels of net international migration for Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with growth in Newfoundland and Labrador stemming mainly from gains in interprovincial migration.