On June 16th, 2023, Canada’s population officially reached a new milestone of 40 million Canadians. This exciting milestone reminds Canadians of the immigration trends that led to Canada’s evolving demographic landscape, beginning with the Klondike goldrush in the late 1800s, when Canada reached 5 million people. The Klondike gold rush was then followed by major waves of European immigration in the early 1900s and the post-war baby boom period which saw tremendous population growth due to high birth rates. However, as the birth rate declined, immigration has become the main source of population growth since 1995. By 2015, there were more Canadians aged 65 and up than under 15 for the first time. Immigration from both permanent and temporary migration accounted for all growth record in 2022. Canada’s population is growing at a record-setting pace, with 1,050,110 newcomers arriving in 2022. This is the first time in history that Canada’s population grew by over one million people in a single year. Currently, Canada’s population growth currently stands at 2.7%, which is also the highest annual growth rate on record since 1957. If this trend continues, current projections show Canada’s population could reach 50 million by 2043. Sources:

Canada's population reaches 40 million (statcan.gc.ca) News Release: Canada's population reaches 40 million (statcan.gc.ca)