By Gazette Staff
December 17th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
A surprise drop of 76,068 people in the third quarter 2025, the largest decline on record, according to new data from Statistics Canada.
The drop, which the agency attributes to a decline in non-permanent residents, such as international students, is larger than any other recorded since it began keeping records in 1946.
The country’s population was 41,575,585, as of Oct. 1, 2025, down 0.2 per cent from July 1, per numbers posted online Wednesday.
Is there enough room for the people we have now?
Ontario and B.C. had the largest population decreases at 0.4 and 0.3 per cent, respectively.
In a post on its website, Statistics Canada says that 176,479 fewer non-permanent residents are the “primary reason for the decrease in Canada’s population over this period.”
The agency cites a 73,682 person drop in study permit holders and a 67,616 person drop in work and study permit holders. There were also 35,231 fewer work permit holders.
The numbers are considered estimates and will be updated.
Plus… not enough Olivias and Noahs being born.