Population growth

Ontario’s population reached 15,386,407 on January 1, 2023, with a increase of 123,747 people during the fourth quarter of 2022. This compares to an increase of 39,305 people recorded in the same quarter of 2021.

Population growth, Ontario, Q4 2022
Components of demographic changeNumber of people
(in thousands)
Population, October 1, 202215,262.7
Plus Births35.6
Minus Deaths30.5
Plus Immigrants33.3
Minus Emigrants*5.1
Plus Net Change in Non-Permanent Residents97.7
Plus Interprovincial Arrivals13.8
Minus Interprovincial Departures21.1
Population, January 1, 202315,386.4

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

Births and deaths

There were 35,644 births during the fourth quarter of 2022, an increase of 4.1% from the same quarter of 2021. The number of deaths decreased by 1.2% to reach 30,506.

Natural increase (births minus deaths) was 5,138 in the quarter, up from 3,357 in the same quarter of 2021.

International migration

Immigration to Ontario was 33,348 in the fourth quarter, down significantly from 66,946 in the same quarter of 2021. Ontario received 40.1% of all immigrants to Canada in the quarter, a decrease from 48.4% in the same quarter of 2021. During calendar year 2022, Ontario received 184,771 immigrants, down from 199,291 in 2021.

There were 5,143 emigrants in the fourth quarter, compared to 7,316 during the same quarter of 2021. Ontario accounted for 43.6% 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 97,715 to about 891,000 by January 1, 2023.

Overall, there was a net international migration gain of 125,920 in the fourth quarter, up from a net gain of 42,863 in the same quarter of 2021.

Components of population growth, Q4 2022 and average for 2017-2021

Components of population growth, Q4 2022 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 fourth quarter of 2022, Ontario saw a net interprovincial migration loss of 7,311 people to the rest of Canada, compared to a net loss of 6,915 people in the same quarter of 2021. Ontario experienced net gains in its exchanges with Quebec (+704), Manitoba (+577) and Saskatchewan (+248), but net losses with all other provinces. The largest net losses were to Alberta (-4,831), Nova Scotia (-1,227) and New Brunswick (-1,025). During calendar year 2022, Ontario’s total net interprovincial migration loss was 52,017, compared to a net loss of 32,105 in 2021.

Year-over-year growth

In calendar year 2022, Ontario’s population grew by 445,495 or 3.0%, much faster than in 2021 (200,810 or 1.4%). Among the provinces, Ontario had the fifth fastest population growth rate after Prince Edward Island (4.3%), Alberta (3.7%), Nova Scotia (3.5%), and New Brunswick (3.3%). Canada’s population grew by 1,050,110 (2.7%) in 2022.

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, Q4 2022 and average for 2017-2021

This bar chart compares the components of population growth in the fourth quarter of 2022 with the average of the same quarter of the previous five years (2017-2021). In the fourth quarter of 2022, the net change in the number of non-permanent residents was higher than the average of the fourth quarters of the previous five years, while net interprovincial migration was lower.  All other components were generally the same as their five year average.

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