Quarterly Demographic Estimates
April to June 2021

Release date: September 29, 2021

Highlights

Second quarter of 2021

• Canada’s population was estimated at 38,246,108 on July 1, 2021, an increase of 92,897 (+0.2%) from April 1, 2021.
• Growth during the second quarter of 2021 was higher than what was seen in the second quarter of 2020 (+37,148, +0.1%), a quarter strongly impacted by travel and border restrictions implemented in March 2020 to curb the spread of COVID-19.
• While population growth in the second quarter of 2021 has increased, it is still below the level seen before the pandemic for the second quarter of 2019 (+178,284, +0.5%).
• Population increased in all provinces and territories, except for Saskatchewan (-0.0%) and the Northwest Territories (-0.3%).
• Nine out of the 13 provinces and territories had a higher rate of population growth in the second quarter of 2021 than in the second quarter of 2020, indicating some recovery from the record-low levels of population growth seen in the second quarter of 2020.
• Population growth rates in Manitoba (+0.0%) and Alberta (+0.1%) were the lowest second quarter growth recorded for these provinces since 1979 and 1987, respectively, in part due to increased interprovincial migration losses.
• Deaths in the second quarter of 2021 (74,689) were at the second highest level for a second quarter since comparable records began (second quarter of 1972), behind the second quarter of 2020 (78,695). An increase in the number of deaths is expected due to population aging, while the Public Health Agency of Canada reported that 3,335 deaths were due to COVID-19 during the second quarter of 2021 (4.5% of total deaths).
• The number of deaths decreased from the second quarter of 2020 by 4,006 (-5.1%) with the largest decreases found in Quebec (4,850 fewer deaths, -23.1%) and in Ontario (886 fewer deaths, -3.0%).
• With fewer deaths due to COVID-19 and a stable number of births (92,502), natural increase (births minus deaths, +17,813) recovered slightly in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020 (+12,819) but remains the second lowest for this quarter since at least 1972.
• International migration accounted for an increase in population of 75,084, or 80.8% of the growth seen in the second quarter of 2021.
• During the second quarter of 2021, Canada welcomed 74,353 immigrants, the highest number for a quarter since the pandemic began (first quarter of 2020). This is in line with the recovery seen during the first quarter of 2021 (+70,467), although lower than what was seen before the pandemic (94,281 during the second quarter of 2019).
• Canada saw a net increase in non-permanent residents (+12,559) during the second quarter of 2021, following the recovery seen in the previous quarter (+14,760). The net increase was mainly due to additional work permit holders. All provinces welcomed more non-permanent residents than those who left, except for Alberta (-1,060).
• The number of emigrants (11,391) was similar to levels seen before the pandemic.
• The number of people who moved to another province or territory in the second quarter of 2021 (123,482) was the highest for a second quarter since at least 1972, and the highest of any quarter since the third quarter of 1991 (125,577).
• Ontario (-11,857) and Manitoba (-3,613) saw the highest net losses to interprovincial migration for a second quarter since at least 1972, while losses were also seen in Saskatchewan (-3,362), Alberta (-5,447), the Northwest Territories (-254), and Nunavut (-91).
• British Columbia (+15,290), Nova Scotia (+4,678), New Brunswick (+2,145), Prince Edward Island (+869) and Québec (+626) saw the highest gains from interprovincial migration for a second quarter since at least 1972, possibly indicating an increased number of people moving back due to the pandemic.

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