Canada’s population growth continues to slow, consistent with lowered immigration targets

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNewsCanada Canada's population growth continues to slow, consistent with lowered immigration targets The number of new immigrants to Canada fell for the fourth consecutive year, 'consistent' with lower targets set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Author of the article: By Stewart Lewis Published Sep 24, 2026 4 minute read Join the conversation Canada has had its lowest year-over year population growth since World War Two, according to a new report from Statistics Canada. PHOTO BY TAMPATRA /Getty Images/iStockphoto Article content Canada has just marked its lowest year-over year population growth since the Second World War, according to a new report from Statistics Canada. Article content The population reached an estimated 41,798,407 people on July 1, 2026, an increase of 189,425 people from July 1, 2025, however this is the lowest annual growth since 1944/1945, says StatCan, when it grew by 126,000. Article content Article content Article content “The rapid changes in the population growth rate since 2020 are almost entirely attributable to changes in international migration,” states StatCan. Article content NP Posted Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content Immigration targets under the Trudeau government were increased in 2016 from an annual average of 617,800 between 2000 to 2015 to approximately 1.4 million for 2016 to 2024. However, public concern about the impact on the affordability of housing resulted in substantial reductions, noted a Fraser Institute report. In the 2025 federal budget, the Carney government unveiled a new plan for 2026-28 immigration levels, outlining a more moderate approach, while focusing on steady economic immigration growth. Article content “In 2018, 3.3 per cent of Canada’s population were temporary residents. By 2024, that number had more than doubled to 7.5 per cent, an unprecedented rate of growth that put pressure on housing supply, the healthcare system, and schools,” according to the 2025 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration, which states that “Canada’s new government recognizes that this system is no longer sustainable, and we are determined to make it so, for…