Statistics Canada has published the results of the census conducted in the spring of 2021. Based on the report, Canada leads the G7 countries for population growth.
The report also states that immigration is the main source of Canadian population growth since four-fifth of the growth was due to immigrants. In addition, despite the pandemic, the Canadian population grows at almost twice the rate of every other G7 country from 2016 to 2021 and ranks seventh in the G20.
Over the past 20 years, immigration to Canada has driven its population growth as Canadian couples have fewer children on average than other G7 countries. The number of immigrants entering Canada has grown more rapidly than the number of people who leave resulting in a migratory increase fueling population growth in Canada.
Also, immigration targets for permanent and temporary immigrants have also risen since 2015. Most provinces and territories continue to experience rapid population growth due to immigration. Among the provinces, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia showed the highest growth rates, mostly due to immigration.
The share of population growth due to natural increase has been falling in Canada because of population aging and lower fertility. Almost four-fifths of the 1.8 million population increase from 2016 to 2021 was due to new immigrants, whether permanent or temporary.
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