The numbers show that Canada’s population is now 33.5 million, making it the fastest growing country in the G8. The numbers also indicate that two-thirds of this growth was due to immigration, and that growth has taken place throughout the country.

The Canadian census takes place every five years and is conducted by Statistics Canada to provide a snapshot of the demographics of the country. The results of the census help to properly allocate resources and make relevant policy.

While the census numbers confirm that Canada’s western provinces are seeing the most growth, with the population west on Ontario for the first time exceeding the population east on Ontario, growth was seen in Quebec, the maritime provinces, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The population growth rate for the last five years was 5.9 percent, exceeding the 5.4 percent growth rate shown in the last census for 2001-2006. Some provinces had a substantially higher growth rate than the country as a whole, such as Saskatchewan, with a current growth rate of 6.7 percent. Saskatchewan’s rise is attributed to its robust energy-driven economy mimicking what has been happening in Alberta.

Projections on the part of Statistics Canada as part of the census indicate that Canada’s growth rate could be almost totally driven by immigration within the next 50 years.