Canada passes 40 million population milestone

Statistics Canada says the country’s population has surpassed 40 million, a major milestone for the nation.

The 40-million mark is being attributed to a wave of new immigrants as part of Ottawa’s pledge to bring in 500,000 people a year by 2025.

Statistics Canada says 1.1 million more people came to the country in 2022, most of them permanent and temporary immigrants.

That is more than double the federal government’s plan to welcome more than 430,000 new permanent residents last year.

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Canada’s population passed 30 million in 1997. By comparison, the U.S. population is around 335 million.

Statistics Canada says the country’s population could reach 50 million in two decades if current immigration levels remain.

Ontario has the largest population in Canada with nearly 15.6 million people, while Quebec comes a distant second at 8.8 million.

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