Population growth

Ontario’s population reached 15,262,660 on October 1, 2022, with a increase of 153,244 people during the third quarter of 2022. This compares to an increase of 92,350 people recorded in the same quarter of 2021.

Population growth, Ontario, Q3 2022
Components of demographic changeNumber of people
(in thousands)
Population, July 1, 202215,109.4
Plus Births39.0
Minus Deaths28.3
Plus Immigrants50.1
Minus Emigrants*2.5
Plus Net Change in Non-Permanent Residents106.5
Plus Interprovincial Arrivals22.1
Minus Interprovincial Departures33.7
Population, October 1, 202215,262.7

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

Births and deaths

There were 39,027 births during the third quarter of 2022, an increase of 3.4% from the same quarter of 2021. The number of deaths also increased by 1.5% to reach 28,273.

Natural increase (births minus deaths) was 10,754 in the quarter, up from 9,900 in the same quarter of 2021.

International migration

Immigration to Ontario was 50,124 in the third quarter, down from 58,990 in the same quarter of 2021. Ontario received 41.0% of all immigrants to Canada in the quarter, a decrease from 48.0% in the same quarter of 2021. During the past year to September 30, Ontario received 218,369 immigrants, up sharply from 149,660 in the previous year.

There were 2,512 emigrants in the third quarter, compared to 1,759 during the same quarter of 2021. Ontario accounted for 37.6% 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 106,459 to about 803,000 by October 1.

Overall, there was a net international migration gain of 154,071 in the third quarter, up from a net gain of 89,622 in the same quarter of 2021.

Components of population growth, Q3 2022 and average for 2017-2021

Components of population growth, Q3 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 third quarter of 2022, Ontario saw a net interprovincial migration loss of 11,581 people to the rest of Canada, compared to a net loss of 7,172 people in the same quarter of 2021. Ontario experienced net gains in its exchanges with Quebec (+1,432), Manitoba (+506) and Saskatchewan (+423), but net losses with all other provinces. The largest net losses were to Alberta (−8,645), Nova Scotia (−2,543) and New Brunswick (−1,724). During the past 12 months to September 30, Ontario’s total net interprovincial migration loss was 51,621, compared to a net loss of 25,575 in the previous year.

Year-over-year growth

In the 12 months to September 30, Ontario’s population grew by 361,053 or 2.4%, much faster than in the previous year (179,755 or 1.2%). Among the provinces, Ontario had the sixth fastest population growth rate after Prince Edward Island (3.8%), Nova Scotia (3.3%), New Brunswick (3.1%), Alberta (3.0%) and British Columbia (2.5%). Canada’s population grew by 865,882 (2.3%) over the 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 Area45.847.247.848.048.047.9n.a.
Central22.021.621.621.721.721.8n.a.
Eastern13.213.213.113.113.113.1n.a.
Southwestern12.612.011.711.711.711.7n.a.
Northeastern4.54.34.13.93.93.8n.a.
Northwestern1.91.81.71.71.61.6n.a.
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.

December 21, 2022
Office of Economic Policy

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


Accessible description of chart

Components of population growth, Q3 2022 and average for 2017-2021

This bar chart compares the components of population growth in the third quarter of 2022 with the average of the same quarter of the previous five years (2017-2021). In the third quarter of 2022, births, deaths, immigration, emigration and the net change in the number of non-permanent residents were higher than the average of third quarters of the previous five years, while net interprovincial migration was lower.

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