Statistics Canada conducts a country-wide census that collects demographic data every five years in the first and sixth year of each decade. The 2021 Canadian census enumerated a total population of 36,991,981, an increase of around 5.2 percent over the 2016 figure. It is estimated that Canada's population surpassed 40 million in 2023 and 41 million in 2024. The main driver of population growth is immigration, with 6.2% of the country's population being made up of temporary residents as of 2023, or about 2.5 million people. In 2025, Canada's population officially stood at 41.5 million, an estimated decrease of 76,068. 2024 saw the lowest recorded total fertility rate in the country's history, at around 1.25; this rate is among the lowest in the world.
Canada has one of the highest per-capita immigration rates in the world, driven mainly by economic policy and, to a lesser extent, family reunification. In 2024–2025, a total of 435,421 immigrants were admitted to Canada. New immigrants to Canada settle mostly in major urban areas such as Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Canada also accepts large numbers of refugees, accounting for over 10 percent of annual global refugee resettlements.
History
Population
The 2021 Canadian census had a total population count of 36,991,981 individuals, making up approximately 0.5% of the world's total population. A population estimate for 2024 put the total number of people in Canada at 41,012,563.
Provinces and territories
The vast majority of Canadians are positioned in a discontinuous band within approximately 300 km of the southern border with the United States; the most populated province is Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia.
Cities
Census metropolitan areas
Fertility rate
The total fertility rate is the number of children born in a specific year cohort to the total number of women who can give birth in the country.
In 1971, the birth rate for the first time dipped below replacement and since then has not rebounded.
Canada's fertility rate hit a record low of 1.26 children born per woman in 2024, and tied it in 2025. This is Canada's third consecutive year with 'ultra-low fertility' (<1.30). In 2022, Canada also experienced the country's lowest absolute number of births in 17 years. From 2021 to 2022, Canada's TFR decreased by −7.4%, its largest drop in 50 years. The total birth rate is 10.17 births/1,000 population in 2022.
Total fertility rateYears18611862186318641865186618671868186918705.725.635.545.445.355.265.175.074.984.8918711872187318741875187618771878187918804.834.774.754.724.74.684.654.634.64.5318811882188318841885188618871888189918904.564.524.494.454.424.384.354.314.274.2418911892189318941895189618971898189919004.24.194.174.154.134.114.14.084.064.0419011902190319041905190619071908190919104.024.034.034.034.034.044.044.044.044.0519111912191319141915191619171918191919204.0543.953.893.843.793.743.683.633.5819211922192319241925192619271928192919303.533.43.233.223.133.353.323.293.223.2819311932193319341935193619371938193919403.193.082.862.82.752.692.642.72.652.7619411942194319441945194619471948194919502.822.963.0433.013.373.593.443.453.45196119711981199120012006201120162021-3.812.111.651.671.521.61.631.581.46 –
Total fertility rates by provinces and territories
+ 2025Fertility indicators, provinces and territories: Interactive dashboardProvince/TerritoryTFR2.401.581.501.421.361.281.261.231.211.181.081.071.041.02
Mother's mean age at first birth Canada is among late-childbearing countries, with the average age of mothers at the first birth being 31.3 years in 2020.
Average age of childbirth at first birthYear1945194619471948194919501951195219531954195525.225.124.924.724.624.524.324.224.224.124.1195619571958195919601961196219631964196519662423.923.823.723.723.623.623.623.623.523.51967196819691970197119721973197419751976197723.623.623.723.723.92424.124.324.324.424.51978197919801981198219831984198519861987198824.724.824.92525.125.325.425.525.625.725.81989199019911992199319941995199619971998199925.825.925.926.126.326.226.326.526.726.8272000200120022003200420052006200720082009201027.127.327.527.827.9282828.128.128.228.4201128.5
Historical population
Population projection
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/World Bank, the population of Canada increased from 1990 to 2008 by 5.6 million, a 20.4% growth in population, compared to 21.7% growth in the United States, 31.2% growth in Mexico, 8% in France and 27% or 1,423 million people globally.CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion Population 1971–2008 (pdf pages 83–85) IEA (OECD/ World Bank) original population ref e.g. in IEA Key World Energy Statistics 2010 page 57 From 1991 to 2011, the population of the UK increased by 10%.
The population growth rate for Canada in 2022 was 0.75%.
Life expectancy
Life expectancy in Canada has consistently risen since the country's formation.
Life expectancyYear18311841185118611871188118911901191139.040.341.041.642.644.745.248.652.519211922192319241925192619271928192957.057.056.958.859.257.258.658.457.9193019311932193319341935193619371938193958.960.361.462.362.762.462.761.363.363.7194019411942194319441945194619471948194964.063.764.664.665.366.366.566.767.367.619501950–551955–601960–651965–701970–751975–801980–851985–9068.269.170.371.372.273.074.375.976.81990–951995–20002000–20052005–20102010–20152015–202077.878.679.780.881.883.7 School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) total: 16 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2016) Infant mortality rate total: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births. Country comparison to the world: 180th male: 4.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
Age characteristics
Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 10.V.2016) (To ensure confidentiality, the values, including totals are randomly rounded either up or down to a multiple of '5' or '10.' As a result, when these data are summed or grouped, the total value may not match the individual values since totals and sub-totals are independently rounded. Similarly, percentages, which are calculated on rounded data, may not necessarily add up to 100%.):
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 17 264 200 17 887 530 35 151 730 100 0–4 973 030 925 760 1 898 790 5.40 5–9 1 034 685 983 445 2 018 130 5.74 10–14 985 200 937 445 1 922 645 5.47 15–19 1 039 215 986 940 2 026 160 5.76 20–24 1 144 495 1 098 200 2 242 695 6.38 25–29 1 144 475 1 141 515 2 285 990 6.50 30–34 1 148 290 1 181 105 2 329 400 6.63 35–39 1 118 635 1 169 730 2 288 365 6.51 40–44 1 104 445 1 150 690 2 255 135 6.42 45–49 1 157 755 1 202 205 2 359 965 6.71 50–54 1 318 755 1 359 320 2 678 070 7.62 55–59 1 285 190 1 335 050 2 620 240 7.45 60–64 1 114 880 1 175 630 2 290 510 6.52 65–69 953 070 1 019 405 1 972 475 5.61 70–74 677 975 742 900 1 420 875 4.04 75–79 469 550 552 305 1 021 850 2.91 80–84 325 760 423 885 749 645 2.13 85–89 185 535 296 985 482 525 1.37 90–94 68 675 154 835 223 505 0.64 95–99 13 245 43 280 56 525 0.16 100+ 1 340 6 895 8 230 0.02Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 2 992 915 2 846 650 5 839 565 16.61 15–64 11 576 135 11 800 390 23 376 525 66.50 65+ 2 695 150 3 240 490 5 935 640 16.89
Age structure 0–14 years: 15.99% (male 3,094,008/female 2,931,953) 15–24 years: 11.14% (male 2,167,013/female 2,032,064) 25–54 years: 39.81% (male 7,527,554/female 7,478,737) 55–64 years: 14.08% (male 2,624,474/female 2,682,858) 65 years and over: 18.98% (male 3,274,298/female 3,881,126) (2020 est.) Median age total: 41.8 years. Country comparison to the world: 40th male: 40.6 years female: 42.9 years (2020 est.) Median age in 2011 total: 40.6 years male: 39.6 years female: 41.5 years (2011)
Median age by province and territory in 2011 Newfoundland and Labrador: 44.0 Nova Scotia: 43.7 New Brunswick: 43.7 Prince Edward Island: 42.8 Quebec: 41.9 British Columbia: 41.9 Ontario: 40.4 Yukon: 39.1 Manitoba: 38.4 Saskatchewan: 38.2 Alberta: 36.5 Northwest Territories: 32.3 Nunavut: 24.1
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0–14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15–24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25–54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55–64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2022 est).
Dependency ratios total dependency ratio: 47.3 youth dependency ratio: 23.5 elderly dependency ratio: 23.8 potential support ratio: 4.2 (2015 est.)
Vital statistics Source: B.R. Mitchell. International historical statistics: the Americas, 1750–2000. United nations. Demographic YearbooksPopulation estimates on July 1, Statistics Canada, visited 23 september 2026
Notable events in Canadian demographics:
1947–1966 – Mid-20th century baby boom