Population size and growth in Canada: Key results from the 2016 Census Released at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time in The Daily, Wednesday, February 8, 2017 Today, Statistics Canada provides Canadians with a first glimpse of the latest national statistical portrait with results of the 2016 Census count on population and dwellings. The count tallies 35,151,728 people who reported living in Canada on Census Day, May 10, 2016, and shows the patterns of population growth across the country. Over the coming year—as Canadians celebrate 150 years since Confederation—the agency will unveil the full range of census data that will together paint a factual picture of the lives of Canadians and their communities. The population count in 2016 was 10 times greater than in 1871, when the first census after Confederation recorded 3.5 million people in Canada. By 1967, when Canadians were toasting 100 years since Confederation, that number had grown to 20.0 million (1966 Census). Over the years, Canadians have been trekking west. In 1871, most Canadians lived in the four founding provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, while Western Canada was sparsely populated. By 2016, close to one-third of the population lived in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. Canada's population: Migratory increase accounts for two-thirds of growth From 2011 to 2016, the population increased by 1.7 million or 5.0%, a slightly lower rate than 5.9% from 2006 to 2011. The Daily, Wednesday, February 8, 2017 Infographic 1 – Annual average growth rate, natural increase and migratory increase per intercensal period, Canada, 1851 to 2056 2 Component of Statistics Canada catalogue no. 11-001-X The Daily, Wednesday, February 8, 2017 About two-thirds of Canada's population growth from 2011 to 2016 was the result of migratory increase (the difference between the number of immigrants and emigrants). Natural increase (the difference between the number of births and deaths) accounted for the remaining one-third. In the coming years, population growth in Canada is projected to be increasingly linked to migratory increase rather than natural increase, mainly because of low fertility and an aging population. International comparisons: Canada has the highest population growth among G7 countries Canada led the G7 in population growth from 2011 to 2016, rising on average 1.0% per year, a ranking also recorded over the two previous intercensal periods (2001 to 2006 and 2006 to 2011). Chart 1 Average annual population growth rate among G20 and G7 countries, 2011 to 2016¹ Saudi Arabia Turkey South Africa, Republic of Australia Mexico Indonesia India Canada³ Argentina United States³ United Kingdom³ South Korea² Italy³ Russian Federation Brazil China France³ European Union Germany³ Japan³ -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 % 1. With latest data available. The annual rates for Turkey, Mexico, Indonesia, India, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Italy and South Korea are from 2011 to 2015. 2. The official name of South Korea is Republic of Korea. 3. Member of the G7. Source(s): World Bank, "Population, total," 1960 to 2015; Statistics South Africa; Statistics Canada; Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (Argentina); Russian Federation Federal State Statistics Service; National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (France); Eurostat (the European Union); and Statistics Japan. Component of Statistics Canada catalogue no. 11-001-X 3 The Daily, Wednesday, February 8, 2017 As in Canada, migratory increase is the key driver of population growth in other G7 countries, such as the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy. In addition, three G7 countries—Germany, Italy and Japan—have recorded more deaths than births in recent years, meaning that the population growth in these countries depended entirely on migratory increase. Canada's average annual population growth rate of 1.0% from 2011 to 2016 was the eighth highest among G20 countries, behind Saudi Arabia, Turkey, South Africa, Australia, Mexico, Indonesia and India. Population density: Two-thirds of Canadians live close to the southern border Canada has a small population living in a large land area (close to 9 million square kilometres), leading to a low population density compared with other countries. For example, Canada had 3.9 people per square kilometre in 2016, compared with 35.3 people per square kilometre in the United States. The Canadian population, however, is highly concentrated geographically. In 2016, two out of three people (66%) lived within 100 kilometres of the southern Canada–United States border, an area that represents about 4% of Canada's territory. Many census metropolitan areas (CMAs) are located near the border, including Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver. The population density of some municipalities located in these CMAs is well above the national average. The municipality of Vancouver had the highest population density in Canada, with more than 5,400 people per square kilometre. Among municipalities of 5,000 or more inhabitants, the next three with the highest population density were located in the Montréal CMA—Westmount, Côte-Saint-Luc and Montréal. Table 1 The 10 highest population densities among municipalities (census subdivisions) with 5,000 residents or more, Canada, 2016 Census metropolitan area Population size Population density people per square name number kilometre Vancouver, B.C. Vancouver 631,486 5,492.6 Westmount, Que. Montréal 20,312 5,024.9 Côte-Saint-Luc, Que. Montréal 32,448 4,662.5 Montréal, Que. Montréal 1,704,694 4,662.1 New Westminster, B.C. Vancouver 70,996 4,543.4 North Vancouver, B.C. Vancouver 52,898 4,465.1 Victoria, B.C. Victoria 85,792 4,405.8 Toronto, Ont. Toronto 2,731,571 4,334.4 White Rock, B.C. Vancouver 19,952 3,893.1 Hampstead, Que. Montréal 6,973 3,884.2 Source(s): Census of Population, Highlights Tables (98-402-X2016001). Canada 150: From Confederation to the 2016 Census Canada's population has increased tenfold since Confederation. However, the country's population growth has not been constant over those 150 years. In the three decades that followed Confederation, the number of people in Canada grew rapidly, entirely as a result of natural increase. At that period and despite large waves of immigration, the country recorded migratory losses because many people departed for the United States. This pattern changed at the turn of the 20th century. From 1901 to 1911, the Canadian population grew 3.0% on average each year, a rate that remains the fastest in the country's history. The robust population growth was attributable to both strong natural increase and strong migratory increase. During this decade, more than 1.6 million immigrants came to Canada, with many settling in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. 4 Component of Statistics Canada catalogue no. 11-001-X The Daily, Wednesday, February 8, 2017 Population growth slowed again in the 1930s, as couples had fewer children and immigration levels fell. These decreases were partly attributable to the Great Depression. After the Second World War, however, immigration levels rose again, and fertility rates increased considerably, leading to the baby boom. As a result, Canada's population growth rate in the 1950s was close to the records set at the beginning of the century. By the time the country celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1967, 20.0 million people called Canada home. Since the mid-1960s, the fertility rate of women has gradually decreased. With Canadian families having fewer children, migratory increase became the key driver of population growth at the end of the 1990s. For more information on the Canadian population over the last 150 years, see the 2016 Census videos, the infographic and thematic maps. Provinces and territories Population growth increases from east to west The overall population growth masks considerable differences among the provinces and territories. Population growth tended to be higher in Western Canada and lower in Eastern Canada. Chart 2 Population growth rate, Canada, provinces and territories, 2006 to 2011 and 2011 to 2016 Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia New Brunswick Quebec Ontario Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta British Columbia Yukon Northwest Territories Nunavut -5 0 5 10 15 % 2006 to 2011 2011 to 2016 Source(s): Census of population, Highlights Tables (98-402-X2016001). Component of Statistics Canada catalogue no. 11-001-X 5 The Daily, Wednesday, February 8, 2017 Table 2 Population size and growth rate, Canada, provinces and territories, 2006 to 2011 and 2011 to 2016 Population size in 2016 Population growth rate 2006 to 2011 2011 to 2016 number % Canada 35,151,728 5.9 5.0 Newfoundland and Labrador 519,716 1.8 1.0 Prince Edward Island 142,907 3.2 1.9 Nova Scotia 923,598 0.9 0.2 New Brunswick 747,101 2.9 -0.5 Quebec 8,164,361 4.7 3.3 Ontario 13,448,494 5.7 4.6 Manitoba 1,278,365 5.2 5.8 Saskatchewan 1,098,352 6.7 6.3 Alberta 4,067,175 10.8 11.6 British Columbia 4,648,055 7.0 5.6 Yukon 35,874 11.6 5.8 Northwest Territories 41,786 0.0 0.8 Nunavut 35,944 8.3 12.7 Source(s): Census of population, Highlights Tables (98-402-X2016001). Atlantic provinces: Lower population growth From 2011 to 2016, the population grew more slowly in the Atlantic provinces than elsewhere in Canada, as was the case during the two previous intercensal periods. Prince Edward Island (+1.9%) recorded the fastest increase in Atlantic Canada, followed by Newfoundland and Labrador (+1.0%) and Nova Scotia (+0.2%). The population declined 0.5% in New Brunswick, the only province or territory to record a decrease from 2011 to 2016.