According to Statistics Canada (StatCan) since 2020, the demographics in Canada have changed drastically with millennials now outnumbering baby boomers.
As of January 1st, the country’s population grew to an estimated 40,769,890.
This represents an increase of around 1,271,872 when compared to the population in January, 2023.
It also represents the highest annual population growth rate since 1957.
Most of this new population growth came from temporary immigration to Canada. StatCan says that without temporary immigration—relying just on natural births and permanent immigration—the growth rate would have been three times less.
Last year, StatCan says that 471,771 permanent immigrants made Canada their home while a further 804,901 non-permanent residents (NPRs) were added to the county’s population—the NPRs being considered temporary immigrants.
StatCan says that this is the second year that temporary immigration has driven Canada’s population growth and the third year in a row that the country saw a net increase of NPRs.
Most of the temporary newcomers came to Canada to fill gaps in the labour market or as international students wanting to study in Canada.
“It is estimated that 2,661,784 NPRs were living in Canada on January 1st, 2024,” reads a StatCan report.
“Among them, 2,332,886 were permit holders and their family members living with them, and 328,898 were asylum claimants (with or without work or study permits).”
Another anomaly in Canada’s population trends this year is the uptick in inter-provincial migration.
StatCan says that this is the third straight year that these rates have been higher than they have been in 30 years.
They estimate that around 333,000 Canadians moved from one province to another last year, which is the third consecutive year this figure has been higher than 300,000.
According to their report, StatCan says Alberta grew by approximately 55,107 people from inter-provincial migration alone, the largest gain since 1972.
Between 2016 and 2021, Alberta was actually losing residents on a year-over-year basis, but StatCan says that the last few years have seen them make gains in attracting Canadians to the province.
StatCan also says that unlike Alberta in 2023, BC saw more people leaving than moving to the province.
They say for the first time since 2012, BC saw people leaving for opportunities elsewhere, or better affordability.
An approximate 8,624 people moved out of BC in 2023.
Nationally, StatCan says that Ontario lost the most people to inter-provincial migration with 36,197 leaving the province in 2023.
This number is down just slightly from the 38,816 people who migrated away in 2022.
 since 2020, the demographics in Canada have changed drastically with millennials now outnumbering baby boomers. ){kind=link}