Quarterly Demographic Estimates
October to December 2019

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Release date: March 19, 2020

Highlights

Fourth quarter of 2019

• Canada’s population was estimated at 37,894,799 on January 1, 2020.
• The population increased by 97,303 people from October 1, 2019 to January 1, 2020, a level never seen for a fourth quarter since 1988.^{Note 1}
• Canada’s quarterly population growth rate was 0.3%, the highest fourth-quarter growth recorded since 1988.
• Canada had the lowest natural increase (births minus deaths) and highest net international migration registered in a fourth quarter since 1971.^{Note 2}
• International migration explained 80.8% of the country’s population growth.
• Between October 1, 2019 and January 1, 2020, Canada welcomed 77,235 new immigrants, an unprecedented number for a fourth quarter. A remarkable increase in the number of non-permanent residents (+15,957) has also been registered over the same period, the increase being usually negative at this time of the year.
• The highest population growth was in Alberta and Ontario (both at +0.4%), and Nunavut (+0.6%). Newfoundland and Labrador was the only province to decrease in population (‑0.1%).
• Alberta has gained more than 2,000 persons from interprovincial migration in each of the past two quarters, marking the sixth quarter of uninterrupted interprovincial gains.

2019 calendar year

• Canada’s population grew by a record number of 582,895 in 2019, resulting in an annual growth of 1.6%.
• In 2019, the highest population growth was found in Nunavut (+2.0%), Prince Edward Island and Ontario (both at +1.9%). Newfoundland and Labrador (-0.5%) and Northwest Territories (-0.3%) decreased in population.
• International migration to Canada was at unprecedented levels in 2019 for both immigrants (341,203) and the increase in the number of non-permanent residents (+195,629).
• Quebec was the only province to see a reduction in the number of immigrants in 2019 (40,567) compared to 2018 (51,125). However, this was compensated for by a higher increase in the number of non-permanent residents in 2019 (+59,132) than in 2018 (+34,706). The Northwest Territories also saw a decrease in the number of immigrants (from 279 in 2018 to 197 in 2019).
• There were record numbers of immigrants to three of the four Atlantic provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.