Canada’s population grew by just 0.5 per cent in the 12 months to July 1, the slowest pace in more than a century, as a sharp drop in temporary residents pulled growth down from its post-pandemic peak, Statistics Canada said Sept. 23.
The national agency estimated the country had 41,798,407 people on July 1, an increase of 189,425 over the year, according to figures reported by Global News. That is the lowest percentage increase since 1915-16, and the smallest July-to-July gain in absolute terms since 1944-45. Growth was 2.8 per cent at its peak in 2023-24 and 1.1 per cent the year before this one.
The main driver is a shrinking temporary-resident population. Statistics Canada counted 2,779,774 non-permanent residents on July 1, or 6.7 per cent of the population, down 154,614 from a year earlier, according to Global News. Study permit holders fell by 140,827, and people holding both work and study permits dropped by 81,163. Permanent immigration also cooled: 99,148 immigrants arrived in the second quarter, 4.2 per cent fewer than in the same quarter of 2025. Population growth for the second quarter alone was 0.2 per cent, or 80,343 people.
Robert Kavcic, a senior economist at BMO, described the 0.5 per cent figure as “still a major shift from the last couple years,” and called the slowdown a “necessary adjustment” after growth above three per cent following the pandemic, according to Canadian Mortgage Trends. The slowdown follows tighter federal immigration policy after criticism of the rapid rise in temporary residents under former prime minister Justin Trudeau, the same outlet reported.
The story looks very different depending on where you live. Alberta grew fastest at 1.5 per cent, according to Global News, while British Columbia grew by only 0.1 per cent and the Northwest Territories shrank by 0.3 per cent. For readers in Edmonton and Calgary, that means demand for housing, transit and schools is still climbing faster than in most of the country. In B.C., which has relied heavily on international students to fill college seats and service jobs, the near-stall in growth points to a different set of pressures.
Age is where the numbers hit young Canadians most directly. The largest declines were among people aged 20 to 24 (down 2.4 per cent) and 25 to 29 (down 3.1 per cent), Global News reported, which lines up with fewer international students and young workers. Meanwhile, seniors aged 65 and older now make up 20 per cent of the population, up 0.6 per cent, and children under 15 account for 15 per cent, down 0.1 per cent. The average age has reached 42.1 years. Statistics Canada also reported a fertility rate of 1.26 children per woman in 2025, unchanged from the year before, with 372,521 births, up 1.6 per cent. Some 43.8 per cent of babies were born to foreign-born mothers, up from 32.7 per cent in 2021.
That last figure matters for a simple reason: with fertility this low, newcomers account for a growing share of new births as well as of the workforce. If immigration levels stay low, the country’s balance between working-age people and retirees will tilt further toward older Canadians, which raises questions about who pays for health care and pensions and who fills jobs in care work, construction and food services.
The housing effect is already being felt, according to Canadian Mortgage Trends, which reported that lower immigration has stalled both sales and prices. That is a mixed result for people aged 18 to 40. Slower rent pressure could bring relief in some cities, but softer prices also reflect weaker demand, which can mean fewer jobs and slower wage growth.
Several questions remain open. The coverage reviewed does not say how many of the departing temporary residents left the country as opposed to becoming permanent residents, and it is not clear how quickly the federal government will adjust targets if labour shortages return. Ottawa’s next immigration levels plan will show whether the current trajectory is a deliberate reset or an overcorrection.
via Global News, with additional reporting from Canadian Mortgage Trends. Original coverage: Canada’s population growth continues its decline, StatCan says.
