Toronto sees slight population decline in 2024–25 amid broader Canadian demographic shifts

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published January 23, 2026

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Newest estimates from Statistics Canada indicate that the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA)—encompassing the city and its surrounding suburbs—recorded a marginal population decrease between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025. Official figures show the metro area’s population fell by approximately 992 residents, settling at around 7.11 million people, marking a rare annual decline outside of the pandemic period.

The change primarily reflects a drop in the number of non‑permanent residents, such as international students and temporary workers, which offset gains from births and permanent immigration.

Internal migration—where more residents move from Toronto to other parts of Canada—also contributed to the slight decline, a trend linked by analysts to high housing costs and affordability pressures despite ongoing overall growth in other major Canadian urban centres.

These estimates come from the annual population releases by Statistics Canada, which show most Canadian CMAs continue to grow, albeit at slower rates than in recent years