Canada’s population growth slows to 0.5% as temporary resident numbers fall

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published September 24, 2026

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Canada’s population growth slowed sharply in the year ending July 2026, with the country’s population reaching an estimated 41.8 million people on July 1, up just 189,425 people, or 0.5%, from a year earlier. It was the smallest July-to-July population increase in absolute numbers since 1944/45 and the lowest annual percentage growth since 1915/16, according to Statistics Canada.

The slowdown was closely tied to changing international migration patterns. Statistics Canada said the rapid shifts in population growth seen since 2020 have been almost entirely attributable to changes in international migration. Between April 1 and July 1, 2026, Canada’s population grew by only 80,343 people, or 0.2%, the slowest second-quarter increase since 2020.

At the same time, the number of non-permanent residents in Canada fell by 154,614 people between July 2025 and July 2026, reaching 2,779,774, or about 6.7% of the country’s population. Statistics Canada said this was the largest annual decline in non-permanent residents since comparable records began in 1971/72. Study permit holders accounted for the largest part of the decrease.

Permanent immigration also slowed. Canada admitted 368,224 immigrants over the year ending July 1, marking the first time since 2021/22 that the annual number fell below 400,000. During the second quarter of 2026 alone, Canada welcomed 99,148 immigrants, down 4.2% from the same period a year earlier.

Population growth remained below the national average in Canada’s three largest provinces. Ontario’s population grew by 0.3%, Quebec by 0.2%, and British Columbia by 0.1% over the year, while Alberta recorded the strongest provincial growth at 1.5%.