Canada's population has declined for a third consecutive quarter, with a lower intake of temporary residents being a major contributor to the drop. Statistics Canada reported a population decline of 55,025, or 0.1%, during the January 1 to April 1 quarter of 2026.
The preliminary number of non-permanent residents decreased by 117,879 people in the first quarter of 2026, according to StatCan. However, the agency also noted that the number of permanent immigrants welcomed in the first quarter of 2026 decreased by 20.2% compared to the same quarter in 2025.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attributed the technical recession in the country, partly due to falling immigration, saying that the government's decision to take back control of immigration has led to a decline in population growth.
The decline in population is a continuation of the trend seen in 2025, when Canada recorded its first population decline in over 150 years. The reduction was primarily driven by lower intake of non-permanent residents, with a decrease of 102,436 people or -0.2% from January 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026.
The historic decline was largely due to a steep fall in temporary residents, with the number of non-permanent residents in Canada decreasing by 171,296 in the last quarter of 2025.
