Canada’s population clocked in at 41,528,680 on Jan. 1, but the growth spurt that defined recent years is losing steam, says Statistics Canada. The headcount rose by a modest 63,382 from Oct. 1, 2024, marking a quarterly bump of just 0.2%—the sleepiest pace since late 2020, when pandemic border lockdowns were in full swing.
The slowdown comes as non-permanent residents, a key driver of past surges, started heading for the exits. StatsCan reports a drop of 28,341 in their ranks since October—the first quarterly dip since late 2021.
Even so, 2024 still packed on 744,324 new Canadians, a solid 1.8% annual jump. But with growth tapering off from its 2023 peak, it seems the country’s population boom is catching its breath.