Marking Indigenous Peoples Day with key population insights

The 30th annual National Indigenous Peoples Day takes place on the summer solstice (June 21), the longest day of the year. This time of renewal, connection and celebration is an opportunity to celebrate the cultures, languages and traditions of First Nations people, Métis and Inuit.

Let’s take a look at the key numbers related to the Indigenous population, who have lived on the lands now known as Canada since time immemorial.

The 2021 Census of Population counted just over 1.8 million Indigenous people living in Canada, making up 5.0% of the population.

Over half of these people identified as First Nations (1,048,405 people), followed by Métis (624,220) and Inuit (70,545).

Nearly two-thirds (65.1%) of Indigenous people were working age (15 to 64 years) in 2021, while one-quarter (25.4%) were aged 14 years and younger. The Indigenous population is younger on average than the non-Indigenous population overall.

Within census metropolitan areas, Winnipeg had the largest Indigenous population, at 102,080 people, followed by Edmonton (87,605) and Vancouver (63,345).

The Indigenous population grew most in Edmonton (+11,400 people; +15.0%), Montréal (+11,265; +32.4%) and Winnipeg (+8,750; +9.4%) from 2016 to 2021. 

In 2021, 420,885 First Nations people lived in a large urban centre, accounting for 40.1% of the total First Nations population. This proportion was higher for First Nations people without registered Indian or treaty Indian status (59.4%) than it was for status First Nations people (32.6%).

More than half (55.4%) of Métis lived in a large urban centre in 2021. Winnipeg had the largest Métis population in Canada, followed by Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. Combined, these four urban centres accounted for almost one-quarter (24.1%) of the total Métis population in Canada.

In 2021, 15.3% of Inuit lived in a large urban centre, up from 13.0% in 2016. In 2021, there were three urban centres that had an Inuit population of more than 1,000 people: Ottawa–Gatineau (1,730 people), Edmonton (1,290) and Montréal (1,130).

The 2021 Census counted approximately one in eight Indigenous people (237,420 people) who reported speaking an Indigenous language well enough to conduct a conversation.

Overall, more than 70 distinct Indigenous languages are spoken by Indigenous people. Though most languages experienced a decline from 2016, some—such as Blackfoot, Mi’kmaq and Inuktitut—experienced growth, including among people who learned their language as a second language.

Collection is underway for the 2026 Census of Population and started as early as February in select northern and remote communities. The first set of data on Indigenous Peoples will be released on September 28, 2027.

After receiving feedback from Indigenous communities, organizations and stakeholders, the census questions related to Indigenous Peoples were revised to improve clarity and acceptability. For more information, see Content changes for the 2026 Census of Population: Indigenous Peoples.

Participation in the census provides comprehensive data to support informed decision-making for the planning, development and implementation of programs and services for First Nations people, Métis and Inuit. 

The 2026 Census can be completed online or with a Statistics Canada employee. The questions are available in 15 Indigenous languages and dialects for reference purposes. Visit the census website to complete the census today.