Maple News reports that Canada’s population growth reached a historic low in the third quarter of 2020, registering a net increase of just 2,767 people between July and September. This marks the slowest quarterly growth since national demographic tracking began in 1946, according to Statistics Canada.
This unprecedented stagnation is primarily attributed to a sharp decline in net international migration. In Q3 2020, Canada recorded a net loss of over 27,000 people through international migration—significantly reversing its usual pattern of annual population gains largely driven by immigration.
In contrast, the first quarter of 2020 saw a population increase of roughly 70,000 from international migration alone, before COVID-19 travel restrictions came into effect in March. These restrictions had a cascading effect on population data, with net migration gains dropping to under 10,000 in Q2, and turning negative by Q3.
The third quarter typically sees a significant influx of non-permanent residents, particularly international students arriving for the academic year. However, pandemic-related border controls and the shift to virtual learning kept many students abroad. This had a major impact on the country’s temporary resident numbers, contributing heavily to the overall population slowdown.
Despite the downturn, Canada did manage to welcome 40,069 new permanent residents during Q3—an increase from the 34,271 admitted in Q2. This partial rebound signals the federal government’s commitment to processing permanent residency applications through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), even during the ongoing health crisis.
Maple News notes that Canada’s long-term economic strategy has heavily relied on immigration, driven by an aging population and persistent labor shortages. The pandemic has only magnified the urgency of this need.
Population declines were not uniform across the country. Eight provinces and territories—Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut—experienced population drops during this period.
Looking ahead, Canada’s post-pandemic recovery strategy is expected to rely significantly on welcoming increased numbers of immigrants and non-permanent residents to sustain economic momentum and demographic stability.