Canada’s population grew by a grand total of 0.0% in the last quarter.
The unexpected 2020 outbreak of COVID-19 has been affecting our lives, our communities, and the country as a whole in a wide variety of ways — and it turns out it’s even impacting Canada’s population numbers! According to the latest population estimates released by Statistics Canada for the third quarter of 2020, Canada’s population has essentially stopped growing.
As of October 1, Canada had an estimated population of 38,008,005, an increase of only 2,767 from July 1, 2020, which, in other words, means there’s been an overall 0.0% change. This is the lowest reported quarterly growth since at least January 1, 1946 when comparable national population data started to become available.
Between July 1 and September 30, 2020, Canada’s #population increased by only 2,767 (+0.0%), because of #COVID19’s impact on international migration. This was the lowest quarterly increase in Canada since at least 1946. https://t.co/Y8iQBLCMcq pic.twitter.com/jDmt2O0yHF
— Statistics Canada (@StatCan_eng) December 17, 2020
In fact, populations actually decreased in six provinces and two territories for the first time since 1951. British Columbia lost 1,861 people and Newfoundland and Labrador saw 1,105 people leave the province. The decreases in Canada’s population figures are primarily attributed to the restrictions on international travel implemented to reduce COVID-19 transmission since the majority of Canada’s population growth comes from international migration.
Canada actually brought in 61.4% fewer immigrants than in the third quarter of 2019. In addition, there was an approximate net loss of 66,000 non-permanent residents from the country.
We have yet to see if the COVID-19 vaccines starting to be administered will prove to be effective so that this trend of dampened population growth can reverse in 2021.
[Featured Image Source: Unsplash]