Canadian population growth continued to slow with almost no increase in Q1: StatCan

Statistics Canada says population growth stalled in the first quarter.

The agency says the Canadian population rose by 20,107 people from Jan. 1 to April 1 to 41,548,787, the smallest increase since the third quarter of 2020 when it contracted by 1,232 people.

It was the sixth consecutive quarter of slower population growth after a decision by the federal government in 2024 to lower the levels of both temporary and permanent immigration.

However, immigration still accounted for all of the population growth in the quarter as there were 5,628 more deaths than births in Canada.

Canada admitted 104,256 immigrants in the first quarter of 2025, while net emigration totalled 17,410.

Meanwhile, the number of non-permanent residents dropped by 61,111.