Population growth

Ontario’s population reached 15,500,632 on April 1, 2023, with a increase of 114,225 people during the first quarter of 2023. This compares to an increase of 55,102 people recorded in the same quarter of 2022.

Population growth, Ontario, Q1 2023
Components of demographic changeNumber of people
(in thousands)
Population, January 1, 202315,386.4
Plus Births34.5
Minus Deaths31.5
Plus Immigrants60.8
Minus Emigrants*6.2
Plus Net Change in Non-Permanent Residents71.2
Plus Interprovincial Arrivals18.3
Minus Interprovincial Departures33.1
Population, April 1, 202315,500.6

*Emigrants plus net change in temporary emigrants minus returning Canadians.
Source: Statistics Canada.

Births and deaths

There were 34,535 births during the first quarter of 2023, an increase of 5.0% from the same quarter of 2022. The number of deaths decreased by 5.9% to reach 31,485.

Natural increase (births minus deaths) was 3,050 in the quarter, up from negative 571 in the same quarter of 2022.

International migration

Immigration to Ontario was 60,828 in the first quarter, up significantly from 50,617 in the same quarter of 2022. Ontario received 41.8% of all immigrants to Canada in the quarter, a decrease from 44.5% in the same quarter of 2022. In the 12 months to April 1, 2023, 194,982 immigrants settled in Ontario, down from 214,909 the previous year.

There were 6,164 emigrants in the first quarter, compared to 6,056 during the same quarter of 2022. Ontario accounted for 47.2% of all emigration from Canada in the quarter.

The number of non‑permanent residents in Ontario (NPRs – i.e. international students, foreign workers, and refugee claimants) increased by 71,243 to about 953,000 by April 1, 2023.

Overall, there was a net international migration gain of 125,907 in the first quarter, up from a net gain of 67,790 in the same quarter of 2022.

Components of population growth, Q1 2023 and average for 2018-2022

Components of population growth, Q1 2023 and average for 2017-2021

* Includes emigrants plus net change in temporary emigrants minus returning Canadians.
Source: Statistics Canada.

Accessible description of chart

Interprovincial migration

In the first quarter of 2023, Ontario saw a net interprovincial migration loss of 14,732 people to the rest of Canada, compared to a net loss of 12,117 people in the same quarter of 2022. Ontario experienced net gains in its exchanges with Saskatchewan (+239) and Manitoba (+45), but net losses with all other provinces. The largest net losses were to Alberta (-7,693), Nova Scotia (-2,527) and New Brunswick (-1,754). In the 12 months to April 1, 2023, Ontario’s total net interprovincial migration loss was 54,632, compared to a net loss of 37,982 during the previous year.

Year-over-year growth

In the 12 months to April 1, 2023, Ontario’s population grew by 504,618 or 3.4%, much faster than during the previous year (222,396 or 1.5%). Among the provinces, Ontario had the fifth fastest population growth rate after Prince Edward Island (4.6%), Alberta (4.5%), Nova Scotia (4.0%), and New Brunswick (3.6%). Canada’s population grew by 1,213,560 (3.1%) over the 12-month period.

Ontario Demographic Factsheet

Population (000s) - Estimatesfootnote 1
Region2006201120162019202020212022
Canada32,57134,33936,10937,60138,00738,22638,930
Ontario12,66213,26113,87514,54514,72614,80915,109
Ontario as % of Canada38.938.638.438.738.738.738.8
Ontario average annual growth rate (Over previous year shown)1.30.90.91.61.20.62.0
Population (000s) - MOF Projections footnote 2
Region20262031203620412046
Canada40,96543,27645,28247,07048,770
Ontario16,04317,12118,20919,30820,418
Ontario as % of Canada39.239.640.241.041.9
Ontario average annual growth rate (Over previous year shown)1.51.31.21.21.1
Age distribution (%) - Estimates footnote 1
Age group2006201120162019202020212022
0–45.45.45.25.04.94.84.7
5–1412.311.211.010.710.610.510.4
15–2413.813.712.913.012.812.412.6
25–4429.427.126.527.027.327.628.0
45–6426.028.328.127.126.726.525.9
65–746.97.69.29.810.010.310.3
75+6.26.67.17.57.67.88.0
Age distribution (%) - MOF Projections footnote 2
Age group20262031203620412046
0–44.84.94.94.95.0
5–149.99.79.89.99.9
15–2412.712.412.011.912.1
25–4428.828.928.627.827.0
45–6424.122.622.723.524.2
65–7410.811.310.49.28.8
75+8.910.211.612.813.0
Selected age groups (%) - Estimates footnote 1
Age group2006201120162019202020212022
0–1417.816.616.115.615.515.315.1
15–6469.269.167.667.166.966.566.5
65+13.014.216.317.317.718.118.4
Selected age groups (%) - MOF Projections footnote 2
Age group20262031203620412046
0–1414.714.614.714.814.9
15–6465.564.063.363.263.3
65+19.821.522.022.021.8
Other characteristics - Estimates footnote 1
Other characteristic2006201120162019202020212022
Total dependency ratio (%)footnote 360.660.462.663.463.764.064.3
Median age (years)38.439.840.740.540.540.740.4
Age span of baby boom (years)41-6046-6551-7054-7355-7456-7557-76
Total fertility ratefootnote 41.551.561.511.421.341.37n.a.
Female life expectancy at birth (years)footnote 482.983.784.084.484.0n.a.n.a.
Male life expectancy at birth (years)footnote 478.379.479.980.279.5n.a.n.a.
Families (000s)3,5393,7223,8324,0104,0394,1054,170
Households (000s)footnote 54,5554,8885,169n.a.n.a.5,491n.a.
Other characteristics - MOF Projections footnote 2
Other characteristic20262031203620412046
Total dependency ratio (%)footnote 366.870.672.072.572.3
Median age (years)40.440.841.341.842.0
Age span of baby boom (years)61-8066-8571-9076-9581-100
Total fertility ratefootnote 41.371.381.411.461.50
Female life expectancy at birth (years)footnote 485.285.986.687.387.9
Male life expectancy at birth (years)footnote 480.981.982.983.984.8
Families (000s)n.a.n.a.n.a.n.a.n.a.
Households (000s)footnote 5n.a.n.a.n.a.n.a.n.a.
Regional distribution (%) - Estimates footnote 1
Region2006201120162019202020212022
Greater Toronto Area45.847.247.848.048.047.847.8
Central22.021.621.621.721.721.921.9
Eastern13.213.213.113.113.113.113.1
Southwestern12.612.011.711.711.711.711.7
Northeastern4.54.34.13.93.93.93.8
Northwestern1.91.81.71.71.61.61.6
Regional distribution (%) - MOF Projections footnote 2
Region20262031203620412046
Greater Toronto Area48.548.748.949.149.1
Central21.922.022.222.322.4
Eastern13.013.013.013.013.0
Southwestern11.511.411.411.311.3
Northeastern3.63.43.23.13.0
Northwestern1.51.41.31.31.2
Components of change (000s)footnote 6 — year beginning July 1
PeriodPopulation,
beginning of period
Total changeBirthsDeathsNatural increase
Five-Year: 2001–0611,898764658418240
Five-Year: 2006–1112,662600697441256
Five-Year: 2011–1613,261614702471231
Annual: 2016–1713,87519514110239
Annual: 2017–1814,07023914110734
Annual: 2018–1914,30923614010634
Annual: 2019–2014,54518114011229
Annual: 2020–2114,7268313711621
Annual: 2021–2214,80930014212120
Components of change (000s)footnote 6 — year beginning July 1
International migration
PeriodImmigrantsNet emigrantsNet NPRsNet
Five-Year: 2001–0665312544573
Five-Year: 2006–1155810457511
Five-Year: 2011–1651912385481
Annual: 2016–17981963142
Annual: 2017–181321678194
Annual: 2018–191391672195
Annual: 2019–201271537150
Annual: 2020–211088−1981
Annual: 2021–2222718117327
Components of change (000s)footnote 6 — year beginning July 1
Interprovincial migration
PeriodInOutNet
Five-Year: 2001–06307336−30
Five-Year: 2006–11296355−59
Five-Year: 2011–16307346−39
Annual: 2016–17725813
Annual: 2017–18706010
Annual: 2018–1967607
Annual: 2019–2082793
Annual: 2020–216281−18
Annual: 2021–2278125−47

Note: All population figures are for July 1st.

Sources: Ontario Ministry of Finance and Statistics Canada.

March 22, 2023
Office of Economic Policy

For more information contact Alex Munger 437-242-7697.

Other Demographics Reports


Accessible description of chart

Components of population growth, Q1 2023 and average for 2018-2022

This bar chart compares the components of population growth in the first quarter of 2023 with the average of the same quarter of the previous five years (2018-2022). In the first quarter of 2013, all components were higher than the average of first quarters of the previous five years, with the exception of net interprovincial migration.

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