Selangor Journal
A Canadian flag flies in front of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, March 22, 2017. — Picture by REUTERS

Immigration spurs record growth in Canada’s population

TRENTON, March 23 — Canada’s population, spurred by immigration, jumped by over 1 million last year, the largest increase since the Second World War baby boom, Statistics Canada (StatCan) reported on Wednesday (March 22).

The growth raised the population to 39.57 million, with international migration accounting for 96 per cent of the increase, Anadolu Agency quoted StatCan as saying in a news release.

It cements and retains Canada’s title as the fastest-growing G-7 country, with a growth rate of 2.7 per cent.

“This marks the first 12-month period in Canada’s history where the population grew by over one million people and the highest annual population growth rate (2.7 per cent) on record since that seen for 1957 (3.3 per cent.

“This previous record population growth rate in 1957 was related to the high number of births during the post-war baby boom and the high immigration of refugees following the Hungarian Revolution of 1956,” StatCan said.

It added the increase is largely due to the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ramping up immigration to ease labour shortages and drive the Canadian economy. The government said the influx is necessary as the Canadian population ages.

StatCan reported that a record 437,180 newcomers arrived in Canada in 2022, and the government said that number will rise to 500,000 annually by 2025.

Non-permanent residents also jumped last year to 607,782, fueled in part by Ukrainians fleeing from the war with Russia.

Canada has the second-largest Ukrainian diaspora in the world. But the influx brings some potential problems, it noted.

“A rise in the number of permanent and temporary immigrants could also represent additional challenges for some regions of the country related to housing, infrastructure and transportation and service delivery to the population,” StatCan said.

— Bernama

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