Population & Migration · Chart
Canada's population in 2026: 41,798,407
Canada's population was 41,798,407 on July 1, 2026, according to Statistics Canada. It grew by 189,425 people (0.46%) in the previous 12 months, the slowest growth since the series began in 1946.
- 41,798,407people on July 1, 2026
- +189,425in the 12 months to July 1, 2026 (0.46%)
- +1,139,889added two years earlier, in the year to July 1, 2024
- +9.3%over five years, from 38,239,864 in July 2021
Canada's population fell for one quarter, then grew again
Canada added 189,425 people in the 12 months to July 1, 2026. That is the smallest July-to-July gain since Statistics Canada's series begins in 1946; the previous low was 211,226 in 2021. Two years earlier the country added 1,139,889. The population fell by 7,225 between October 1, 2025 and January 1, 2026, the only quarter of decline in the revised series, then rose 1,366 and 80,343 in the next two quarters. Alberta alone supplied 40.3% of the national gain.
Population change in each three-month period, July 1, 2021 to July 1, 2026. Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0009-01.
Quarter by quarter
| Three months | Population change |
|---|---|
| July 1 to Oct. 1, 2025 | +114,941 |
| Oct. 1, 2025 to Jan. 1, 2026 | −7,225 |
| Jan. 1 to April 1, 2026 | +1,366 |
| April 1 to July 1, 2026 | +80,343 |
Common questions
What is the population of Canada in 2026? 41,798,407 on July 1, 2026, Statistics Canada's latest estimate, or about 41.8 million.
Is Canada's population shrinking? No. It fell by 7,225 in one quarter (October 2025 to January 2026) but grew 189,425 over the full year to July 1, 2026.
Which province has the most people? Ontario, with 16,262,121 (38.9% of Canada), then Quebec with 9,067,114.
All provinces and territories on one page: Canada population 2026 by province and territory
Other pages: Ontario · Quebec · British Columbia · Alberta · Manitoba · Saskatchewan · Nova Scotia · New Brunswick · Newfoundland and Labrador · Prince Edward Island · Yukon · Northwest Territories · Nunavut