Demographics
Population Gains in Canada Set Record, Slower Growth Ahead
- The country added equivalent of Estonia’s population last year
- Annual rate of 3.2% among world’s fastest, versus 2.7% in 2022
Community members welcome immigrants at an annual newcomer social in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.
Photographer: Carolina Andrade/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Canada’s population growth rate hit a fresh record, capping a year when one of the world’s largest immigration programs reached its top speed as pressures mounted on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to slow down future inflows.
The population grew by 1.3 million people over the past year to 40.8 million, according to Statistics Canada’s estimate released Wednesday in Ottawa. That’s the equivalent of Estonia’s populace, and is the fastest annual pace in Canada since 1957.