Section 1: Total

View the most recent version.

On July 1, 2010, the population of Canada reached 34,108,800, up 388,600 people from the previous year, a growth rate of 1.1%. Although slightly slower than the 1.2% growth rate of the 2008/2009 and 2007/2008 periods, it was higher than the growth throughout the 1992/1993 to 2006/2007 period when it ranged between 0.8% to just below 1.1%.

Net international migration ¹  , comprised primarily of the difference between immigrants who entered Canada and emigrants who left the country, remained a major contributor to population growth. About two-thirds of Canada’s growth during the 2009/2010 period was due to net international migration (65.6%). Although net international migration was lower in 2009/2010 (254,700) than in 2008/2009 (268,400), it was higher than it had been during the 1989/1990 to 2007/2008 period. The number of immigrants to Canada increased from 245,300 in 2008/2009 to 270,500 in 2009/2010 but a decreased net flow of non-permanent residents (71,300 in 2008/2009 falling to 33,100 in 2009/2010) resulted in the overall lower net international migration in 2009/2010 than in the previous year.

The second component of population growth at the national level is natural increase which refers to the difference between the number of births and deaths. In 2009/2010 there were estimated to be 381,400 births and 247,600 deaths, resulting in 133,800 people added to the population because of natural increase. This accounted for just over one-third (34.4%) of population growth during this period. Similar to net international migration, the number of people added to the population through natural increase in 2009/2010 was slightly lower (by about 2,000 people) than in 2008/2009 but it was higher than throughout the 1997/1998 to 2007/2008 period.

While population growth at the national level is the result of net international migration and natural increase, growth in each of the provinces and territories is determined by not only these two components but also by net interprovincial migration. Consequently there can be much variation across the provinces and territories of the country. The western provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, as well as the Yukon and Nunavut territories had a growth rate in 2009/2010 that was stronger than that of Canada overall. The growth rate was slower than that of the total Canadian population in the Atlantic provinces and in the Northwest Territories while it was closer to the national figure in Ontario and Quebec.

Population growth remains strong in western provinces

Saskatchewan, along with British Columbia, had the highest annual growth rate among all the provinces in the 2009/2010 period at 1.6%. This was the highest growth rate for Saskatchewan since 1971, the beginning of the period covered by the current record-keeping system. As of July 1, 2010 Saskatchewan had a population of 1,045,600 resulting from 16,500 people being added during the previous year. Contributing to the high growth rate in this province was positive migratory exchanges from both international migrants as well as interprovincial migrants. Although slightly lower than 2008/2009, net international migration to Saskatchewan in 2009/2010 (7,800) contributed to the strong growth in this province. The number of immigrants who came to Saskatchewan in 2009/2010 was the highest recorded for the province (7,300) since 1971 and more than offset the fall in the net flow of non-permanent residents from 2008/2009 to 2009/2010 (2,300 to 900).

Net interprovincial migration added 3,900 people to the population of Saskatchewan, up from 3,000 the previous year. This was the fourth consecutive year of positive net interprovincial migration to Saskatchewan following more than 20 years of negative net interprovincial migration (1984/1985 to 2005/2006). Most of Saskatchewan’s net inflows of interprovincial migration came from its exchanges with Ontario (1,900) and Alberta (1,100). Natural increase was also higher in 2009/2010 (4,800 people) than in the previous year and was the highest it had been since 1995/1996. Close to half of the growth during the 2009/2010 period in Saskatchewan was attributed to international migration (47.5%), nearly one-quarter (23.7%) was the result of net interprovincial migration and 28.8% was due to natural increase.

British Columbia added 70,700 people to the population of its province to reach 4,531,000 on July 1, 2010. This growth rate of 1.6% was well above the national level (1.1%) during the 2009/2010 period. Although the growth rate was lower than the two preceding years (2008/2009 and 2007/2008), it remained higher than throughout the 1997/1998 to 2005/2006 period. Accounting for the slightly slower growth in 2009/2010 was the drop in net flows from non-permanent residents from 17,700 in 2008/2009 to 11,300 in 2009/2010. During the same period, the number of immigrants to British Columbia increased slightly from 42,400 in 2008/2009 to 43,800 in 2009/2010.

Overall, there were 48,000 people added to the population of British Columbia in 2009/2010 as a result of net international migration, 13,300 from natural increase and 9,400 from net interprovincial migration, many of whom came from Alberta (3,800) and Ontario (3,100). Consequently, more than two-thirds (67.9%) of the growth was driven by net international migration, while 13.3% was the result of net flows from interprovincial migration and an additional 18.9% of the growth could be attributed to natural increase.

As of July 1, 2010, the population of Alberta was 3,720,900 resulting from the addition of 50,200 people during the previous year – a growth rate of 1.4%, higher than that of Canada overall, but the province’s lowest growth rate since 1994/1995. Between 1996/1997 and 2008/2009, Alberta had the highest growth rate among the provinces in Canada for all but one year (Ontario had the strongest growth rate in 2000/2001). In 2009/2010, among the provinces Alberta placed third in terms of growth rate behind Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

Unlike the other provinces, most of Alberta’s growth in 2009/2010 could be attributed to natural increase (61.6%), with 30,900 more births than deaths. Net migratory exchanges resulted in the remaining population growth, which was driven by the net flow of 21,500 international migrants. An important component of net international migration was the rise in the number of immigrants from 25,200 in 2008/2009 to 30,000 in 2009/2010 especially given that net flows of non-permanent residents fell from 19,200 to close to -100 during the same time period. In addition, net interprovincial migration was negative in Alberta in 2009/2010 (-2,200) for the first time since 1994/1995 and following a peak in 2005/2006 (45,800).

The province of Manitoba had its highest growth in 2009/2010 since 1982/1983. The population as of July 1, 2010 was 1,235,400, adding 15,900 people during the preceding year, a growth rate of 1.3%. Net international migration (1,200) in 2009/2010 was the highest observed in Manitoba since 1971. The province received close to 14,100 immigrants in 2009/2010, the fourth consecutive year for which the province recorded more than 10,000 immigrants. This could reflect Manitoba’s use of the Provincial Nominee Program which is an economic program developed to allow provinces to select immigrants who possess relevant training, work experience and language skills. Net interprovincial migration remained negative in 2009/2010 (-2,200) with most net outflows to British Columbia (-1,200) and Saskatchewan (-800), but there were fewer losses than in the preceding 10 years. In addition, the number of people added to the population through natural increase (5,500) was the highest since 1995/1996.

Atlantic provinces continue to grow slowly

In the Atlantic provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick set records in 2009/2010 in their respective provinces for the lowest natural increase, although they continued to have positive overall growth. The overall downward trend in natural increase for these provinces was already observed in 1971, the beginning of the period covered by the current record-keeping system.

Newfoundland and Labrador added about 1,600 people to the province’s population to reach 509,700 on July 1, 2010. This accounted for a 0.3% population growth rate in 2009/2010, similar to New Brunswick. Although the growth rate in Newfoundland and Labrador was lower than during the 2008/2009 period (0.4%), it was much higher than the negative population growth rates of the 1990s and early 2000s when the population was actually decreasing in size. The growth during 2009/2010 represents the third consecutive year of population increase for Newfoundland and Labrador. However, the July 1, 2010 population of Newfoundland and Labrador was still well below the 1992 population peak of 580,100.

In 2009/2010, there were close to 300 more deaths than births in Newfoundland and Labrador, reflecting a population with both low fertility and a high proportion of seniors. Across Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador, along with Nunavut, were the only two regions where more growth was attributed to interprovincial migration than to international migration. In Newfoundland and Labrador, more than 1,300 people were added to the population as a result of net interprovincial migration, primarily from Ontario, while close to 600 were added from net international migration.

Similar to Newfoundland and Labrador, the population growth rate was lower in 2009/2010 compared to the previous year for Prince Edward Island. In 2009/2010, 1,200 people were added to the population of Prince Edward Island, a growth rate of 0.8% resulting in a total population on July 1, 2010 of 142,300. For the second consecutive year, Prince Edward Island had the highest rate of net international migration across the country. In fact, there was a net flow of 1,900 international migrants to Prince Edward Island in 2009/2010. Overall growth due to the net migratory exchange was reduced, however, by negative net interprovincial migration (-900) with net outflows mostly to Ontario (-300) and British Columbia (-300). Close to 200 people were added as the result of natural increase.

The growth rate in Nova Scotia in 2009/2010 was 0.4%, stronger than that of 2008/2009 (0.3%) and the highest growth rate for the province since 1992/1993. In Nova Scotia, 3,400 persons were added to the population in 2009/2010, producing a population of 942,500 on July 1, 2010. Population growth during 2009/2010 was entirely due to positive net migratory exchanges, primarily net international migration. During the 2009/2010 period 3,200 people were added to the population from net international migration, primarily immigration (2,400). Additionally, there was a net flow of 200 interprovincial migrants to the province in 2009/2010.

In New Brunswick, 2,400 persons were added to the population in 2009/2010, representing a growth rate of 0.3%, the same as in 2008/2009 and the highest since the 1991/1992 period. This growth resulted in a population of 751,800 as of July 1, 2010. Close to three-fifths of this growth (57.9%) was due to international migration, adding 1,400 people to the population in 2009/2010. An additional 300 people were added due to natural increase. Although both international migration and natural increase were lower than in the previous several years, growth was also supplemented by positive net interprovincial migration (700) for the first time since 1990/1991, with net inflows mainly from Alberta (600).

Quebec and Ontario grow faster than previous year

In 2009/2010, 79,000 people were added to Quebec’s population reaching a total population of 7,907,400 on July 1, 2010. This growth rate of 1.0% during the 2009/2010 period was the highest since 1989/1990.The largest component of growth in Quebec in 2009/2010 was from net international migration (51,500 people). In fact, Quebec received in 2009/2010 its highest number of immigrants (51,500) since 1991/1992, which helped compensate for a reduced net flow of non-permanent residents (7,100) compared to the previous year (13,200).

Positive net international migration also offset negative net interprovincial migration (-3,300), especially due to net outflows to Ontario (-1,900) and British Columbia (-700). While net interprovincial migration has been negative since at least 1971, the beginning of the period covered by the current record-keeping system, the net loss was less than half the number from 2008/2009 (-7,400). There were 30,800 more births than deaths in Quebec in 2009/2010, down from 2008/2009, but higher than throughout the 1996/1997 to 2007/2008 period. Although similar in 2009/2010 and 2008/2009, the number of births has been growing in recent years, at least partially reflecting an increase in the total fertility rate in this province.

The most populous province in Canada, Ontario, added 145,800 people to its population between July 1, 2009 and July 1, 2010, to reach 13,210,700, a growth rate of 1.1%, the same as the national level. Ontario’s net international migration of 106,100 personnes was the highest observed since the 2005/2006 period. The number of immigrants increased from 105,400 in 2008/2009 to 116,500 in 2009/2010 but the net flow of non-permanent residents fell from 16,100 to 11,700 during the same period. Although more people left Ontario for other regions of Canada in 2009/2010 than arrived (-7,300), the loss was less than half that of 2008/2009 (-15,600) and less of a deficit than in the previous five years. Ontario’s net outflows of interprovincial migration were mostly in the direction of British Columbia (-3,100) and Alberta (-2,100). Overall, net migratory exchanges, both international and interprovincial, accounted for more than two-thirds of the population growth in Ontario during the 2009/2010 period, and added about 98,800 people to province. In terms of natural increase, 46,900 people were added to the population in 2009/2010, the lowest it had been since 2002/2003.

Across Canada, growth rate highest in Nunavut

Given that the territories have relatively small populations, small fluctuations in their population can substantially affect their growth rates. Nunavut added more than 1,000 people to its population in 2009/2010 to reach 33,200 on July 1, 2010. The growth rate during the 2009/2010 period was 3.1%, the highest since 1993/1994. Given the high fertility in this territory, it was primarily natural increase that accounted for the population growth (700 more births than deaths), followed by interprovincial migration (a net inflow of 400 people, more than 100 of whom were from Quebec).

In the Yukon, close to 900 people were added to the population in 2009/2010 resulting in an overall population on July 1, 2010 of 34,500, a growth rate of 2.6%. While close to 400 people were added through net international migration (including a net flow of 100 non-permanent residents), more than 300 people were added from net interprovincial migration (more than 100 people added from the territory’s exchange with Alberta), both up from previous years. With a lower total fertility rate, natural increase contributed less to growth in the Yukon compared to the other territories, but it still added close to 200 people to the population.

As of July 1, 2010 the population of Northwest Territories reached 43,800. Although 600 people were added to its population through natural increase, the territory lost close to 500 through net interprovincial migration, mainly in the direction of Alberta and British Columbia. With only a small net inflow of international migrants, preliminary estimates showed that fewer than 100 people were added to the overall population the Northwest Territories in 2009/2010, resulting in a growth rate of 0.2%.

Next