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Immigration fuels population jump |
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By Ryan Doan » Canada's population notched its highest
fourth-quarter increase in five years, fuelled primarily by
international immigration, newly released Statistics Canada figures
reveal. The booming province of Alberta was the biggest gainer, with a
population gain five times the national average.
Nationally, the country's population was an estimated 32,422,900 as of January 1, 2006, which was a net gain of 44,800. Canada received 55,400 immigrants between October and December, up 7,300 from the same period of 2004.
It was the largest fourth-quarter total since 2000 when 57,500 arrived.
If it wasn't for immigration from abroad, Manitoba would have lost population. Similarly, the demographic growth of British Columbia would have declined six-fold and that of Quebec by half.
Despite strong immigration numbers, seven of Canada's 13 provinces and territories experienced a decline in their population during the fourth quarter. The four Atlantic provinces all lost population, as did Saskatchewan, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.
Alberta, whose economy has been booming, saw record numbers of people flocking in, both from other regions of Canada as well as abroad.
The province's population increased 0.76% during the fourth quarter, with net interprovincial migration accounting for just over two-thirds of the net growth. This was well above the 0.14% rate of growth for Canada's population as a whole.
Apart from Alberta, the only two regions to record a growth rate above the national average were British Columbia (+0.19%) and Nunavut (+0.37%). Three others recorded positive growth, but below the national average: Quebec (+0.09%), Ontario (+0.08%) and Manitoba (+0.02%).
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