Population growth

As of April 1, 2025, Ontario’s population reached 16,176,977, reflecting a decline of 5,664 residents during the first quarter of the year. This marks the first quarterly population decline since the third quarter of 2020, during the height of the pandemic. In contrast, the first quarter of 2024 saw an increase of 89,204 people.

Among the provinces, British Columbia (-2,357), Quebec (-1,013) and Newfoundland & Labrador (-115) also experienced population declines in the first quarter of 2025, while the population of Canada as a whole grew by 20,107.

In the 12 months to April 1, 2025, the provincial population grew by 143,394 residents, reflecting an annual increase of 0.9 per cent. In the previous 12-month period, Ontario’s population had grown by 555,296 people or 3.6 per cent.

Ontario had the third slowest population growth rate in the 12 months to April 1, 2025, after Nova Scotia (0.8%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (0.4%). Canada’s population grew by 510,417 (1.2%) during the same period.

Components of Demographic Change for Ontario
ComponentQ1 2024Q1 202512 months to April 1, 202412 months to April 1, 2025
Natural increase-1,683-1,4109,13412,113
Natural increase – Births33,67534,689138,740145,030
Natural increase – Deaths35,35836,099129,606132,917
Net migration90,887-4,254546,162131,281
Migration – Net international migration98,891983572,375152,099
Migration – International migration – Immigration52,77647,289198,779200,367
Migration – International migration – Emigration*8,7068,96724,20624,931
Migration – International migration – Net change in non-permanent residents54,821-37,339397,802-23,337
Migration – International migration – Non-permanent resident Inflow112,89256,891600,748351,036
Migration – International migration – Non-permanent resident Outflow58,07194,230202,946374,373
Migration – Net interprovincial migration-8,004-5,237-26,213-20,818
Migration – Interprovincial migration – Inflow18,41618,54078,59573,981
Migration – Interprovincial migration – Outflow26,42023,777104,80894,799
Population Growth89,204-5,664555,296143,394
Population Growth Rate  3.6%0.9%

Source: Statistics Canada.  *Emigration refers to the net of emigration minus returning emigration.

Natural increase

There were 34,689 births during the first quarter of 2025, up from 33,675 in same quarter of 2024. The number of deaths also increased, reaching 36,099 in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 35,358 over the same period of the previous year.

Natural increase (births minus deaths) was -1,410 in the quarter, up from -1,683 in the same quarter of 2024.

International migration

There were 47,289 new immigrants to Ontario in the first quarter, down from 52,776 (-10%) in the same quarter of 2024. In the 12 months to April 1, 2025, there were 200,367 immigrants to the province, up from 198,779 in the previous year. Ontario received 43.0 per cent of all immigrants to Canada over this period, down from 44.4 per cent in the previous year.

There were 8,967 emigrants in the first quarter, compared to 8,706 in the same quarter of 2024.

The number of non-permanent residents in Ontario decreased by 37,339 in the first quarter of 2025, following declines of 1,707 and 30,524 in the third and fourth quarters of 2024. Since mid-2024, the number of non-permanent residents in Ontario declined by 69,570 or 5.1 per cent.

The number of asylum claimants and protected persons living in the province increased by 4,754 in the first quarter. Holders of work permits fell by 1,341, holders of a study permit declined by 30,160, and the number of those holding both a study and a work permit decreased by 7,337.

As of April 2025, there were 1,307,961 non-permanent residents living in Ontario, representing a decrease of 23,337 (-2%) over the previous 12 months.

Net Change in the Number of Non-Permanent Residents in Ontario
Net Change by CategoryQ1 2024Q1 202512 months to April 1, 202412 months to April 1, 2025
Asylum Claimants17,5254,75460,46451,078
Holders of Work Permit Only32,554-1,341198,81938,819
Holders of Study Permit Only-14,305-30,16055,858-78,839
Holders of Both Work & Study Permit10,054-7,33755,555-29,641
Other8,993-3,25527,106-4,754
Total Net Change54,821-37,339397,802-23,337
Non-Permanent Residents Living in Ontario
Number of People as of:April 1, 2023April 1, 2024April 1, 2025
Asylum Claimants111,812172,276223,354
Holders of Work Permit Only374,407573,226612,045
Holders of Study Permit Only271,775327,633248,794
Holders of Both Work & Study Permit139,532195,087165,446
Other35,97063,07658,322
Total933,4961,331,2981,307,961
Change from Previous Year+45.0%+42.6%-1.8%

Source: Statistics Canada.

Overall, there was a net international migration gain of 983 in the first quarter, down from a net gain of 98,891 in the same quarter of 2024. Net international migration is the sum of all new immigrants during the quarter, minus the number of emigrants, plus the net change in non-permanent residents.

Interprovincial migration

In the first quarter of 2025, Ontario saw a net interprovincial migration loss of 5,237 people to the rest of Canada, compared to a net loss of 8,004 people in the same quarter of 2024. In the 12 months to April 1, 2025, Ontario’s total net interprovincial migration loss was 20,818. While this net loss is above the average for the last 10 years, it is the smallest net loss recorded in the last four years.

Ontario Demographic Factsheet

Population (000s) - Estimatesfootnote 1
Region201120162021202220232024
Canada34,33936,11138,24038,93640,08341,289
Ontario13,26213,87714,84215,14115,62316,124
Ontario as % of Canada38.638.438.838.939.039.1
Ontario average annual growth rate (Over previous year shown)0.90.91.42.03.23.2
Population (000s) - MOF Projections footnote 2
Region202620312036204120462051
Canada41,66543,93346,35248,65150,83752,905
Ontario16,44516,90017,73718,67319,70620,805
Ontario as % of Canada39.538.538.338.438.839.3
Ontario average annual growth rate (Over previous year shown)1.00.51.01.01.11.1
Age distribution (%) - Estimatesfootnote 1
Age group201120162021202220232024
0–45.45.24.94.74.64.4
5–1411.211.010.710.610.410.2
15–2413.713.012.212.412.713.0
25–4427.126.527.628.028.829.5
45–6428.428.126.626.025.224.6
65–747.69.210.310.310.210.2
75+6.67.17.78.08.18.1
Age distribution (%) - MOF Projectionsfootnote 2
Age group202620312036204120462051
0–44.44.34.34.34.44.5
5–1410.09.69.29.09.09.2
15–2413.012.512.111.611.311.2
25–4429.629.229.128.628.428.3
45–6423.923.023.224.124.724.9
65–7410.611.310.69.59.19.2
75+8.610.111.612.813.012.8
Selected age groups (%) - Estimatesfootnote 1
Age group201120162021202220232024
0–1416.616.115.515.314.914.5
15–6469.167.666.566.566.767.1
65+14.216.318.018.318.318.3
Selected age groups (%) - MOF Projectionsfootnote 2
Age group202620312036204120462051
0–1414.413.913.513.313.413.6
15–6466.464.764.364.364.564.3
65+19.221.522.322.322.122.0
Other characteristics - Estimatesfootnote 1
Other characteristic201120162021202220232024
Total dependency ratio (%)footnote 360.362.664.264.563.763.0
Median age (years)39.840.740.740.439.939.6
Age span of baby boom (years)46-6551-7056-7557-7658-7759-78
Total fertility ratefootnote 41.571.521.371.271.22n.a.
Female life expectancy at birth (years)footnote 484.184.484.384.184.5n.a.
Male life expectancy at birth (years)footnote 479.980.479.679.680.1n.a.
Families (000s)3,7223,8184,0174,0704,1694,260
Households (000s)footnote 55,0625,3185,7415,8406,0146,175
Other characteristics - MOF Projectionsfootnote 2
Other characteristic202620312036204120462051
Total dependency ratio (%)footnote 364.668.969.368.667.968.1
Median age (years)39.841.041.942.542.642.8
Age span of baby boom (years)61-8066-8571-9076-9581-10086-105
Total fertility ratefootnote 41.181.181.211.231.261.28
Female life expectancy at birth (years)footnote 484.685.486.186.787.488.0
Male life expectancy at birth (years)footnote 480.481.382.283.083.984.6
Families (000s)n.a.n.a.n.a.n.a.n.a.n.a.
Households (000s)footnote 5n.a.n.a.n.a.n.a.n.a.n.a.
Regional distribution (%) - Estimatesfootnote 1
Region201120162021202220232024
Greater Toronto Area47.247.847.247.047.347.6
Central21.621.622.122.222.222.1
Eastern13.213.113.313.313.213.1
Southwestern12.011.711.912.011.911.8
Northeastern4.34.13.93.93.93.8
Northwestern1.81.71.71.61.61.6
Regional distribution (%) - MOF Projectionsfootnote 2
Region202620312036204120462051
Greater Toronto Area46.846.646.646.746.947.0
Central22.622.822.923.023.023.1
Eastern13.213.513.513.613.613.6
Southwestern12.112.012.012.011.911.9
Northeastern3.83.73.53.43.33.2
Northwestern1.51.51.41.41.31.3
Components of change (000s) — year beginning July 1
PeriodPopulation,
beginning of period		Total changeBirthsDeathsNatural increase
Five-Year: 2001–0611,897764666418249
Five-Year: 2006–1112,662600709442268
Five-Year: 2011–1613,262614706471234
Five-Year: 2016–2113,877966701543157
Annual: 2021–2214,84229913812018
Annual: 2022–2315,1414821351278
Annual: 2023–2415,62350114113110
Components of change (000s)  — year beginning July 1        
International migration
PeriodImmigrantsNet emigrantsNet NPRsNet
Five-Year: 2001–0665312544573
Five-Year: 2006–1155810458512
Five-Year: 2011–1651912387484
Five-Year: 2016–2160575221751
Annual: 2021–2222722107312
Annual: 2022–2319924328503
Annual: 2023–2419824343516
Components of change (000s) — year beginning July 1        
Interprovincial migration
PeriodInOutNet
Five-Year: 2001–06307336-30
Five-Year: 2006–11296355-59
Five-Year: 2011–16307346-39
Five-Year: 2016–2134032614
Annual: 2021–2277108-31
Annual: 2022–2377106-30
Annual: 2023–248792-25

Note: All population figures are for July 1st.

Sources: Ontario Ministry of Finance and Statistics Canada.

Other Demographics Reports