Canada’s population fell by 100,000
Statistics Canada reports the country lost over 100,000 residents in late 2025 — the first annual net population decline since Confederation — and officials tie it to immigration slowdowns and policy shifts. The historic drop alters labor‑market assumptions and PR planning for employers and families. (ctvnews.ca)
Statistics Canada’s preliminary estimate places Canada’s total population at 41,472,081 on Jan. 1, 2026. (statcan.gc.ca) The agency’s quarterly data show a decline of 103,504 people from Oct. 1, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026, which followed a separate drop of 76,068 in Q3 2025. (statcan.gc.ca) Statistics Canada’s quarterly tables estimate the number of non‑permanent residents fell by 171,296 between Oct. 1, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2026, leaving about 2,676,441 non‑permanent residents on Jan. 1, 2026. (statcan.gc.ca) Permanent admissions partly offset losses with an estimated 83,168 immigrants in Q4 2025, a decline of 19.6% year‑over‑year compared with Q4 2024. (statcan.gc.ca) The federal 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan announced Oct. 24, 2024 set lower permanent targets (395,000 for 2025) and for the first time included controlled targets for temporary residents, measures Ottawa says were intended to rebalance admissions. (canada.ca) StatCan warns the preliminary estimates may be revised — noting recent policy changes (including a March 13, 2026 Quebec measure) and later work‑ or study‑permit extensions could alter the reported decline when updated administrative data are incorporated. (statcan.gc.ca)
