Canada’s population experienced a slight increase in 2025, according to Statistics Canada, overturning a previous projection of the country’s first-ever population decline. The latest data released by the statistics agency indicates a modest growth of 280,810 individuals throughout the entire year of 2025. This new calculation supersedes the earlier figures from March, which initially suggested a net decrease in residents for the first time since Confederation.
A spokesperson from Statistics Canada explained that the initial estimates were tentative, emphasizing the possibility of significant revisions as more comprehensive administrative data became accessible. The agency cautioned against placing excessive reliance on the preliminary figures due to potential updates resulting from extensions of work and study permits.
Despite the upward revision, StatsCan noted that the adjusted estimate still points to a considerable deceleration in population expansion. The government, under the leadership of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, had been scaling back both permanent and temporary immigration following a surge in response to post-pandemic labor shortages. Even before Prime Minister Mark Carney assumed office, the Liberal administration had initiated measures to reduce the proportion of temporary residents in Canada’s population.
In his inaugural budget, Carney outlined plans to permit only 385,000 temporary residents in 2026, representing a 43% reduction from the 2025 target, with further reductions to 370,000 in 2027 and 2028. The budget also specified that the federal government would cap the intake of new permanent residents at 380,000 annually from 2026 to 2028.
