Canadian population grew by 1.2 per cent in year ending July 1: Statcan

OTTAWA – Statistics Canada estimates that the country’s population hit 35,158,300 on July 1 — an increase of 404,000 people, or 1.2 per cent from the previous year.

The agency says the increase equals the one observed between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2012 and is similar to the average annual gains over the last 30 years.

It says the latest population estimate is based on the 2011 census counts, adjusted for census net undercoverage and incompletely enumerated Indian reserves.

The report says population growth for the year ending last June 30 was lower in the Atlantic provinces and negative in Nova Scotia, while generally higher in the western provinces.

Alberta’s estimated population grew by 3.4 per cent, mainly due to international and interprovincial migration.

The low growth in the Atlantic provinces is attributed to a low rate of natural increase and interprovincial migration losses, which reached a six-year high.