Canada’s population dips slightly as record drop in non-permanent residents reported

Canada’s population declined modestly in the third quarter of the year, driven by a sharp reduction in the number of non-permanent residents, according to new data released by Statistics Canada.

Preliminary estimates show the population fell by about 76,000 people between July 1 and Oct. 1, bringing the national total to roughly 41.6 million. This marked a reversal from the same quarter last year, when the population grew by more than 230,000.

Statistics Canada said the decrease was largely due to a record decline in non-permanent residents, including temporary workers, international students, and asylum claimants. Their numbers dropped by more than 176,000 during the quarter, the largest decrease since comparable data tracking began in 1971. The country also recorded net emigration, with just over 20,000 more people leaving Canada than returning.

The population decline was partly offset by permanent immigration, as more than 102,000 new permanent residents were admitted during the three-month period. Natural population growth, measured as births minus deaths, added another 17,600 people.

The figures come as the federal government continues to adjust immigration and temporary resident policies amid concerns about housing affordability, infrastructure capacity, and pressures on health care systems in major urban centres, including parts of British Columbia and Alberta.