Population & Migration · Chart
Ontario population 2026: 16,262,121
Ontario's population was 16,262,121 on July 1, 2026, according to Statistics Canada. It grew by 45,160 people (0.28%) over the previous 12 months and holds 38.9% of Canada's population.
- 16,262,121people on July 1, 2026, first of 13 provinces and territories
- 38.9%of Canada's population
- +45,160in the 12 months to July 1, 2026 (+0.28%), 10th of 13 by growth rate
- +9.6%over five years, from 14,842,488 in July 2021
Ontario added 45,160 people, its smallest gain on record
Ontario added 45,160 people in the year to July 1, 2026, the smallest yearly gain in Statistics Canada's series for Ontario, which starts with the year to July 1952. The previous low was 66,273 in 1981. Two years earlier it added 472,089. Its population fell in two quarters in a row, by 3,679 from October 1 to January 1 and by 5,150 from January 1 to April 1, before rising 17,927 by July 1. Alberta, with less than a third of Ontario's population, added more people (76,419).
People added in each 12 months to July 1, 2001 to 2026. Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0009-01.
Quarter by quarter
| Three months | Population change |
|---|---|
| July 1 to Oct. 1, 2025 | +36,062 |
| Oct. 1, 2025 to Jan. 1, 2026 | −3,679 |
| Jan. 1 to April 1, 2026 | −5,150 |
| April 1 to July 1, 2026 | +17,927 |
Common questions
What is the population of Ontario in 2026? 16,262,121 on July 1, 2026, according to Statistics Canada's latest estimate, or about 16.26 million.
Is Ontario's population growing? Yes, but more slowly. It grew 0.28% in the year to July 1, 2026, after adding 126,603 the year before.
How does Ontario rank? First of 13 provinces and territories by population, 10th by growth rate and second by number of people added.
All provinces and territories on one page: Canada population 2026 by province and territory
Other pages: Canada · Quebec · British Columbia · Alberta · Manitoba · Saskatchewan · Nova Scotia · New Brunswick · Newfoundland and Labrador · Prince Edward Island · Yukon · Northwest Territories · Nunavut