The population of Canada has continued to increase for the last 150 years. Currently, the Canadian census is conducted every five years, but we have posted the historical populations at the beginning of each decade dating back to 1861. The population in Canada is expected to continue growing, but at a slower rate, as shown by the projections for 2011 and 2021.

Canada's population growth is attributable to immigration and to the birth rate exceeding the death rate. In the most recent Census, for example, the difference between the birth and death rates (natural increase) was 653,000 and the difference between immigration and emigration (net international migration) was 781,000. These two factors combined for an increase of almost 1.5 million new Canadian inhabitants between 1996 and 2001.

year	population
2021	35,382,000
2011	33,362,000
2001	31,111,000
1991	28,031,000
1981	24,820,000
1971	21,568,000
1961	18,238,000
1951	13,648,000
1941	11,507,000
1931	10,377,000
1921	8,788,000
1911	7,207,000
1901	5,371,000
1891	4,833,000
1881	4,325,000
1871	3,689,000
1861	3,230,000