Population fell by 0.2% in third quarter – and the only other quarterly decline on record was attributed to Covid limits
Canada experienced one of its largest drops in population in the most recent quarter, the result of a crackdown on international students. The drop marks dramatic turnaround for a country that has long pegged its economic growth to immigration.
New estimates released on Wednesday by Statistics Canada showed that Canada’s population fell by 0.2% in the third quarter to stand at 41.6 million, down from 41.65 million on 1 July.
It was the only other quarterly decline on record came in 2020, and was attributed to Covid-19 border restrictions.
The recent decline, however, is driven largely by a drop in the number of international students studying in Canada after Ottawa pledged to tamp down on the number of study permits issued.
