The Canadian labour shortage ahead

Population: Big choices

How big a country should Canada be? The current trajectory (medium growth), shows a total population of 52.3 million by 2061, with annual immigration at 406,700 (a rate of 0.75 per cent). Under the high growth scenario, the rate would be 0.9 per cent annually. Doubling economic immigrants would increase the rate to slightly more than 1 per cent.

Population growth

GRAPHIC

Source: Statistics Canada

Immigration's central role

Canada's population growth already depends almost entirely on immigration. Following current trends, projections show an annual increase of 386,400 people by 2061, made up of 346,800 net immigrants (406,700 new immigrants minus 59,900 emigrants) and 39,600 net new births. Only about 10 per cent of growth will be due to new births.

Medium growth scenario

Related articles

• Oilsands-fuelled boom sees census recording double-digit growth in Calgary
• Changes to immigration policy could transform society
• P.E.I. population growth highest in Atlantic Canada
• Canadians more charitable with money than time: StatsCan report