The agency says migration will be the primary driver of population increase under all scenarios. At the same time, natural growth only plays a “marginal role” as the population ages and fertility rates remain low.
Statistics Canada projects a population increase from approximately 40 million in 2023 to a range of 47 million to 87 million over the next 50 years, with 63 million being the medium-growth forecast.
The population of people aged 85 and over would increase from 896,600 in 2023 to between 3.3 million and 4.3 million by 2073.
According to Stats Canada, under almost all scenarios, the populations of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Quebec will decrease as a proportion of Canada’s total population until 2048.
Meanwhile, every scenario predicts that Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia will increase their share of the nation’s population.
