A century of population growth

Canada stepped into the 21^st Century six times as large as it was at the dawn of the 1900s when 5.4 million people were counted. In 1901, 4 out of every 10 people lived in Ontario, which had 2.2 million residents. The Northwest Territories registered more than 20,000 inhabitants at that time.

Some provinces grew much more than others during the past century. The Atlantic Provinces increased at a modest rate of about one-quarter of the national average. For example, Prince Edward Island showed a relatively small population increase during the century, as did the Yukon. Quebec increased at about three-quarters of the national rate, while Ontario remained close to the national rate. The West, which was sparsely populated at the turn of the previous century, experienced tremendous growth, with Alberta's population soaring 40 times in 100 years.

Trends into the 21^st Century

Between 1996 and 2001, provincial growth rates decelerated in every province except Alberta. The population of Alberta soared 10.3%, up substantially from the rate of 5.9% during the previous five years. Shifts in migration from one province to another were responsible for the most significant census-to-census changes in provincial and territorial growth rates. Natural increase declined in all provinces and territories, while immigration remained relatively stable.

This is the first in a series of announcements from the 2001 Census. In this report, analysis of immigration and interprovincial migration is based on administrative data sources. Subsequent reports from the 2001 Census will paint a complete picture of the impact of these factors on provincial and regional populations.