Canada has set a record for population growth as the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues to increase immigration levels across the country.
Specifically, Canada added 292,232 more people in the first three months of this year, bringing the country’s population to 39.86 million people as of April 1, according to Statistics Canada.
That represents the highest rate of growth in any first quarter in data going back to 1972. Immigration was responsible for 98% of the population gains across Canada.
In 2022, Canada’s population grew by one million for the first time, almost entirely due to immigration.
Canada currently has rapid population growth that matches many developing nations, including Burundi and Sudan.
With the first quarter gain this year, Canada is on pace to grow its population by a record 1.2 million people this year.
Statistics Canada estimates that Canada’s population surpassed the 40 million mark earlier in June.
Rapid population growth has increased Canada’s labor pool at a time when the economy needs more workers. However, it has also worsened housing shortages in cities such as Toronto and Vancouver, and strained the country’s social programs, say some analysts.
