Canadian Provinces With the Highest Population Growth

Canada's population surpassed the 34 million mark in 2010.

According to Statistics Canada, during the first three months of 2010, Canada's population was estimated at 34,019,000, its largest population ever. The growth rate was up 0.26 percent between Jan.1 and March 31, 2010.

Western Provinces

British Columbia had the highest population growth rate.

Western Canadian provinces had growth rates higher than 0.26, the national average. The leader of all provinces in population growth with 0.37 percent is British Columbia, followed closely by Saskatchewan with 0.36 percent and Alberta with 0.35 percent. Manitoba recorded a 0.30 percent in population growth rate, owing to the highest number of immigrants received in the same period of all years since 1971.

Central Canada

Ontario comes right after the Western Provinces in terms of demographic growth.

On April 1, 2010, Ontario's demographic growth was 0.25 percent, the province's highest first-quarter growth rate since 2005. Both immigration and natural increase have led to that growth.

At the same date, Quebec's population growth was 0.20 percent compared with Jan. 1, 2010. Immigration was the main factor for this increase, while the natural increase remained steady.

Atlantic Canada

PEI recorded the highest growth of the Atlantic Provinces.

Prince Edward Island recorded the highest growth rate of all Atlantic Provinces, and higher than Quebec: 0.23 percent, but still lower than the national average. Nova Scotia is the only province that recorded a loss of population, due to negative natural increase.

References

• Statistics Canada: Quarterly Demographic Estimates: January to March 2010