Statistics Canada says population grew 0.6 per cent in Q2 to 41,288,599

Statistics Canada says the population of the country reached an estimated 41,288,599 on July 1.

The agency says the total means 250,229 people were added in the second quarter of the year for a growth of 0.6 per cent.

The growth rate was slower than the same quarter of 2023 which saw a 0.8 per cent increase and the 0.7 per cent increase in the second quarter of 2022.

The increase in the population was almost entirely due to international migration which added 240,303 people.

The difference between births and deaths added 9,926 people.

Alberta posted the fastest growth rate among the provinces and territories with an increase of 1.0 per cent in the quarter, while the Northwest Territories was the slowest with an increase of 0.1 per cent.