Statistics Canada conducts a country-wide census that collects demographic data every five years on the first and sixth year of each decade.
The 2016 Canadian Census enumerated a total population of 35,151,728, an increase of around 5.0 percent over the 2011 figure.
Between 2011 and May 2016, Canada's population grew by 1.7 million people, with immigrants accounting for two-thirds of the increase.
Between 1990 and 2008, the population increased by 5.6 million, equivalent to 20.4 percent overall growth.
The main drivers of population growth are immigration and, to a lesser extent, natural growth.
Canada has one of the highest per-capita immigration rates in the world, driven mainly by economic policy and, to a lesser extent, family reunification.
In 2019, a total of 341,180 immigrants were admitted to Canada, mainly from Asia.
New immigrants settle mostly in major urban areas such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
Canada also accepts large numbers of refugees, accounting for over 10 percent of annual global refugee resettlements.
Population
thumb|Population density of Canadian provinces and territories
The Canada 2016 Census had a total population count of 35,151,728 individuals, making up approximately 0.5% of the world's total population.
Provinces and territories
Sources: Statistics Canada
Cities
Census metropolitan areas
thumb|Growth rate of Canadian provinces and territories Population growth rates
According to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/World Bank, the population in Canada increased from 1990 to 2008 with 5.6 million and 20.4% growth in population, compared to 21.7% growth in the United States and 31.2% growth in Mexico.
According to the OECD/World Bank population statistics, for the same period the world population growth was 27%, a total of 1,423 million people.CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion Population 1971–2008 (pdf  pages 83–85) IEA (OECD/ World Bank) original population ref e.g. in IEA Key World Energy Statistics 2010 page 57  However, over the same period, the population of France grew by 8.0%.
And from 1991 to 2011, the population of the UK increased by 10.0%.
Total Fertility Rates in the 19th century
The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman.
Source: Statistics Canada.
Vital statistics
Current vital statistics
Population projection
Life expectancy at birth from 1831 to 2015
Sources: Our World In Data and the United Nations.
1831–1911
1921–1950
1950–2015
Source: UN World Population Prospects Age characteristics
Population by age and gender, 2016<ref name=Canadaprofile>{{cite web | url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=01&Geo2=PR&Code2=01&Data=Count&SearchText=Canada&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1 | title=Census Profile: Canada (Country) | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=February 9, 2015 | access-date=August 30, 2015}}</ref>
Other demographics statistics
58.9% of Canadians reported being members of a single ethnic group in the 2016 Census.
31.7% of them stated “Canadian” as their single ethnic origin, followed by Chinese (7.1%), English (5.4%), East Indian (5.4%), French (5.0%), Italian (3.4%), Filipino (3.2%), German (2.8%), First Nations (North American Indigenous) (2.6%), Scottish (2.3%), and Irish (2.3%).
Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2019.
One birth every 1 minute
One death every 2 minutes
One net migrant every 2 minutes
Net gain of one person every 1 minute
upright=1.3|thumb|right|Population pyramid of Canada in 1950 Demographic statistics according to the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.
;Population:
35,881,659 (July 2018 est.)
35,623,680 (July 2017 est.)
;Age structure: upright=1.3|thumb|right|Population pyramid of Canada in 2017
0-14 years: 15.43% (male 2,839,236 /female 2,698,592)
15-24 years: 11.62% (male 2,145,626 /female 2,023,369)
25-54 years: 39.62% (male 7,215,261 /female 7,002,546)
55-64 years: 14.24% (male 2,538,820 /female 2,570,709)
65 years and over: 19.08% (male 3,055,560 /female 3,791,940) (2018 est.)
0-14 years: 15.44% (male 2,819,279/female 2,680,024)
15-24 years: 11.85% (male 2,171,703/female 2,048,546)
25-54 years: 39.99% (male 7,227,145/female 7,020,156)
55-64 years: 14.1% (male 2,492,120/female 2,529,652)
65 years and over: 18.63% (male 2,958,721/female 3,676,334) (2017 est.)
;Median age:
total: 42.4 years.
Country comparison to the world: 31st
male: 41.1 years
female: 43.7 years (2018 est.)
total: 42.2 years.
male: 40.9 years
female: 43.5 years (2017 est.)
total: 40.6 years
male: 39.6 years
female: 41.5 years (2011)
;Median age by province and territory, 2011:
Newfoundland and Labrador: 44.0
Nova Scotia: 43.7
New Brunswick:43.7
Prince Edward Island: 42.8
Quebec: 41.9
British Columbia: 41.9
Ontario: 40.4
Yukon: 39.1
Manitoba: 38.4
Saskatchewan: 38.2
Alberta: 36.5
Northwest Territories: 32.3
Nunavut: 24.1
Total: 40.6
Sources: Statistics Canada
;Birth rate:
10.2 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 189th
;Death rate:
8.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 67th
;Total fertility rate:
1.6 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 180th
;Net migration rate:
5.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 20th
5.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
;Population growth rate:
0.72% (2018 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 139th
;Mother's mean age at first birth:
28.1 years (2012 est.)
;Ethnic groups: Canadian 32.3%, English 18.3%, Scottish 13.9%, French 13.6%, Irish 13.4%, German 9.6%, Chinese 5.1%, Italian 4.6%, Indigenous 4.4%, East Indian 4%, other 51.6% (2016 est.)
Note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic origin (2016 est.)
Canadian 32.2%, English 19.8%, French 15.5%, Scottish 14.4%, Irish 13.8%, German 9.8%, Italian 4.5%, Chinese 4.5%, Indigenous 4.2%, other 50.9% Note: percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to identify more than one ethnic origin (2011 est.)
;Languages: English (official) 58.7%, French (official) 22%, Punjabi 1.4%, Italian 1.3%, Spanish 1.3%, German 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, Tagalog 1.2%, Arabic 1.1%, other 10.5% (2011 est.)
;Population distribution:
The vast majority of Canadians are positioned in a discontinuous band within approximately 300 km of the southern border with the United States; the most populated province is Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia.
;Religions: Catholic 39% (includes Roman Catholic 38.8%, other Catholic .2%), Protestant 20.3% (includes United Church 6.1%, Anglican 5%, Baptist 1.9%, Lutheran 1.5%, Pentecostal 1.5%, Presbyterian 1.4%, other Protestant 2.9%), Orthodox 1.6%, other Christian 6.3%, Muslim 3.2%, Hindu 1.5%, Sikh 1.4%, Buddhist 1.1%, Jewish 1%, other 0.6%, none 23.9% (2011 est.)
;Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 82 years
male: 79.4 years
female: 84.8 years (2018 est.)
;Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 47.3
youth dependency ratio: 23.5
elderly dependency ratio: 23.8
potential support ratio: 4.2 (2015 est.)
;School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2016)
;Unemployment, youth ages 15–24:
total: 11.6%.
Country comparison to the world: 110th
male: 13.3%
female: 9.9% (2017 est.)
;Urbanization:
urban population: 81% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 1.1% annual rate of change (2010–2015 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15 – 24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25 – 54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55 – 64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
;Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births.
Country comparison to the world: 180th
male: 4.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
Ethnicity
Ethnic origin
As data is completely self-reported, and reporting individuals may have varying definitions of "Ethnic origin" (or may not know their ethnic origin), these figures should not be considered an exact record of the relative prevalence of different ethno-cultural ancestries but rather how Canadians self-identify.
Statistics Canada projects that immigrants will represent between 24.5% and 30.0% of Canada's population in 2036, compared with 20.7% in 2011.
Statistics Canada further projects that visible minorities among the working-age population (15 to 64 years) will make up 33.7–34.3% of Canada's total population, compared to 22.3% in 2016.
Counting both single and multiple responses, the most commonly identified ethnic origins were (2016):
The most common ethnic origins per province are as follows in 2006 (total responses; only percentages 10% or higher shown; ordered by percentage of "Canadian"):
Quebec (7,723,525): Canadian (59.1%), French (29.1%)
New Brunswick (735,835): Canadian (50.3%), French (27.2%), English (25.9%), Irish (21.6%), Scottish (19.9%)
Newfoundland and Labrador (507,265): Canadian (49.0%), English (43.4%), Irish (21.8%)
Nova Scotia (906,170): Canadian (39.1%), Scottish (31.2%), English (30.8%), Irish (22.3%), French (17.0%), German (10.8%)
Prince Edward Island (137,375): Scottish (39.3%), Canadian (36.8%), English (31.1%), Irish (30.4%), French (21.1%)
Ontario (12,651,795): Canadian (23.3%), English (23.1%), Scottish (16.4%), Irish (16.4%), French (10.8%)
Alberta (3,567,980): English (24.9%), Canadian (21.8%), German (19.2%), Scottish (18.8%), Irish (15.8%), French (11.1%)
Manitoba (1,174,345): English (21.8%), German (18.6%), Canadian (18.5%), Scottish (18.0%), Ukrainian (14.9%), Irish (13.2%), French (12.6%), North American Indian (10.6%)
Saskatchewan (1,008,760): German (28.6%), English (24.9%), Scottish (18.9%), Canadian (18.8%), Irish (15.5%), Ukrainian (13.5%), French (12.2%), North American Indian (12.1%)
British Columbia (4,324,455): English (27.7%), Scottish (19.3%), Canadian (19.1%), German (13.1%), Chinese (10.7%)
Yukon (33,320): English (28.5%), Scottish (25.0%), Irish (22.0%), North American Indian (21.8%), Canadian (21.8%), German (15.6%), French (13.1%)
Northwest Territories (40,800): North American Indian (37.0%), Scottish (13.9%), English (13.7%), Canadian (12.8%), Irish (11.9%), Inuit (11.7%)
Nunavut (31,700): Inuit (85.4%)
Italics indicates either that this response is dominant within this province, or that this province has the highest ratio (percentage) of this response among provinces.
Visible minority population
Visible and non-visible minority populations by group, 1996–2016
By province and territory
Visible minority population by province and territory, 2016<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/search-recherche/change-geo.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=35&Geo2=PR&Code2=01&SearchText=ontario&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=Visible%20minority&TABID=1&G=1&type=0 |publisher=Statistics Canada|title=File Not Found}}</ref>
</div> By city over 100,000
Visible minority in Canadian cities over 100,000 people, 2016<ref name="NHS Profiles"/>
Aboriginal population
Aboriginal population in Canada, 1996–2016 censuses
Note: Inuit, other Aboriginal and mixed Aboriginal groups are not listed as their own, but they are all accounted for in total Aboriginal By province and territory
Aboriginal population by province and territory, 2011<ref name="NHS Profiles">{{Cite web|url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-eng.cfm|title=Census Program|last=Canada|first=Government of Canada, Statistics|website=www12.statcan.gc.ca|date=15 January 2001|language=en|access-date=2018-04-12}}</ref>
All statistics are from the Canada 2011 Census.
By city over 100,000
Aboriginal population in Canadian cities over 100,000 people, 2011<ref name="NHS Profiles"/>
Future projections
Ethnic origin by regional group
Languages
Language used most often at work:Statistics Canada – Language used at work1 by frequency of language used at work and mother tongue, 2006 counts
English: 78.3%
French: 21.7%
Non-official languages: 2%
Languages by language used most often at home:The percentage figures cited are the top languages spoken as a home language in Canada, shown as a percentage of total single responses.
Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census Profile of Federal Electoral Districts (2003 Representation Order): Language, Mobility and Migration and Immigration and Citizenship.
Ottawa, 2007, pp.
6–10.
Data available online at:
English: 67.1%
French: 21.5%
Non-official languages: 11.4%
Languages by mother tongue:
Religion
Statistics Canada (StatCan) grouped responses to the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS) question on religion into nine core religious categories – Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Traditional (Aboriginal) Spirituality, other religions and no religious affiliation.
Among these,  of Canadians were self-identified as Christians in 2011.
The second, third, and fourth-largest categories were of Canadians with no religious affiliation at , Canadian Muslims at , and Canadian Hindus at .
Within the 2011 NHS results, StatCan further subcategorized Christianity in nine groups of its own – Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Christian Orthodox, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, United Church and Other Christian.
Among these,  of Canadians were self-identified as Catholic in 2011.
The second and third-largest ungrouped subcategories of Christian Canadians were United at  and Anglican at , while  of Christians were grouped into the Other Christian subcategory comprising numerous denominations.
Of the 3,036,785 or  of Canadians identified as Other Christians:
105,365 ( of Canadians) were identified as Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church);
137,775 ( of Canadians) were identified as Jehovah's Witness;
175,880 ( of Canadians) were identified as Mennonite;
550,965 ( of Canadians) were identified as Protestant; and
102,830 ( of Canadians) were identified as Reformed.
See also
Demographics of North America
1666 census of New France
Canada 2016 Census
List of Canadian census areas demographic extremes
Interprovincial migration in Canada
Cahiers québécois de démographie academic journal
Canadian Studies in Population academic journal
Notes
References
Further reading
Roderic Beaujot and Don Kerr, (2007) The Changing Face of Canada: Essential Readings in Population, Canadian Scholars' Press, .
External links
Canada Year Book (2010) – Statistics Canada
Population estimates and projections, 2010 – 2036 – Statistics Canada
Canada's population clock
