Focus on Geography Series, 2021 Census of Population
Canada
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents, Canada, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021
37M
In 2021, the enumerated population of Canada was 36,991,981 which represents a change of 5.2% from 2016.
5.2%
Population growth in Canada between 2016 and 2021 was almost twice the pace of any other G7 country.
2016
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2021
Regional patterns changed over the last five years, with the population of the Maritimes growing at a slightly faster pace than the Prairies for the first time in the census since the 1940s.
4.2
The land area of Canada is 8,788,702.8 square kilometres and the population density was 4.2 people per square kilometre.
Population in the last 170 years, Canada
Population change in the last 170 years, Canada
Canada — Census metropolitan areas (CMAs), census agglomerations (CAs) and regions outside CMAs and CAs
In 2021, 83.9% of the population of Canada lived inside a census metropolitan area (CMA) or census agglomeration (CA). That represents 31,034,286 persons.
The number of persons living outside a census metropolitan area (CMA) and a census agglomeration (CA) was 5,957,695, which accounts for 16.1% of the population.
Population share of Canada's regions, 1951 to 2021
Population change (in percentage), G7 countries, 2006 to 2011, 2011 to 2016 and 2016 to 2021
Canada — Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the highest population growth
| Census subdivision (CSD) name | Type | Population | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2016 | % change | ||
| East Gwillimbury (Ont.) | T | 34,637 | 23,991 | 44.4 |
| The Blue Mountains (Ont.) | T | 9,390 | 7,025 | 33.7 |
| Langford (B.C.) | CY | 46,584 | 35,342 | 31.8 |
| Saint-Apollinaire (Que.) | MÉ | 7,968 | 6,110 | 30.4 |
| Niverville (Man.) | T | 5,947 | 4,610 | 29.0 |
Canada — Census subdivisions with 5,000-plus population with the lowest population growth
| Census subdivision (CSD) name | Type | Population | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2016 | % change | ||
| Athabasca County (Alta.) | MD | 6,959 | 7,869 | -11.6 |
| Peace River C (B.C.) | RDA | 5,947 | 6,667 r | -10.8 |
| Lac la Biche County (Alta.) | SM | 7,673 | 8,330 | -7.9 |
| Brazeau County (Alta.) | MD | 7,179 | 7,771 | -7.6 |
| Barrhead County No. 11 (Alta.) | MD | 5,877 | 6,288 | -6.5 |
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