Canada's 15 Fastest-Growing Cities by Population Growth
All 41 of Canada's metro areas ranked by one-year population growth, from Statistics Canada's latest estimates. Alberta dominates, and a small New Brunswick city takes second place.
Quick Answer
Edmonton was Canada's fastest-growing metro area between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, growing 3.04% to 1,692,385 people, according to Statistics Canada estimates. Moncton (2.93%) and Calgary (2.89%) were next. Calgary added the most people, 52,351. Of Canada's 41 metro areas, only Toronto (−992 people) and Kamloops (−259) shrank.
This ranking covers all 41 of Statistics Canada's census metropolitan areas (CMAs): a core city plus the surrounding communities closely tied to it by commuting. Growth is the change in population between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, from Statistics Canada's estimates released on January 14, 2026. Growth rates are calculated the way Statistics Canada calculates them, which is why Edmonton shows 3.04% here and "+3.0%" in Statistics Canada's own release. A simple percentage change gives slightly higher numbers, such as 3.09% for Edmonton, but the order of the ranking is the same.
Alberta has 4 of the top 11
Edmonton (1st), Calgary (3rd), Lethbridge (10th) and Red Deer (11th) all grew by more than 2%. Calgary and Edmonton together added 103,068 people in a year, more than three times as many as Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver combined (30,355). Of Canada's 10 largest metro areas, Toronto (−0.01%) and Vancouver (0.20%) grew the least. Canada as a whole grew 0.94%.
Population growth by census metropolitan area, July 2024 to July 2025 · %
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01 (released January 14, 2026)Tap any city to jump to its full breakdown below.
Ranked #15 to #1
Halifax
Population July 1, 2025: 544,834 (+8,462)- Population growth (1 year):
- 1.57%
- Category:
- Nova Scotia
Halifax grew 1.57%, adding 8,462 people.
Halifax is the largest metro area in Atlantic Canada, but two smaller New Brunswick cities grew faster.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Fredericton
Population July 1, 2025: 125,303 (+1,995)- Population growth (1 year):
- 1.60%
- Category:
- New Brunswick
Fredericton, New Brunswick's capital, grew 1.60%.
With Moncton in 2nd, New Brunswick has two metro areas in this top 15.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Brantford
Population July 1, 2025: 176,307 (+2,927)- Population growth (1 year):
- 1.67%
- Category:
- Ontario
Brantford grew 1.67%, adding 2,927 people.
Brantford grew faster than nearby Hamilton (0.98%) and Kitchener - Cambridge - Waterloo (0.31%).
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
St. Catharines - Niagara
Population July 1, 2025: 503,670 (+10,062)- Population growth (1 year):
- 2.02%
- Category:
- Ontario
St. Catharines - Niagara grew 2.02% and passed half a million people.
It added 10,062 people, the second-most of any metro area entirely in Ontario, after Oshawa.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Red Deer
Population July 1, 2025: 115,273 (+2,314)- Population growth (1 year):
- 2.03%
- Category:
- Alberta
Red Deer grew 2.03%.
Red Deer is one of four Alberta metro areas in the top 11.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Lethbridge
Population July 1, 2025: 143,143 (+2,962)- Population growth (1 year):
- 2.09%
- Category:
- Alberta
Lethbridge grew 2.09%, adding 2,962 people.
Lethbridge grew faster than Red Deer, Alberta's other smaller metro area.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Regina
Population July 1, 2025: 291,187 (+6,148)- Population growth (1 year):
- 2.13%
- Category:
- Saskatchewan
Regina, Saskatchewan's capital, grew 2.13%.
Both of Saskatchewan's metro areas, Saskatoon and Regina, are in the top 10.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Barrie
Population July 1, 2025: 252,446 (+5,348)- Population growth (1 year):
- 2.14%
- Category:
- Ontario
Barrie grew 2.14%, adding 5,348 people.
Barrie grew 2.14% while Toronto, about an hour's drive south, shrank slightly.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Ottawa - Gatineau
Population July 1, 2025: 1,700,014 (+38,048)- Population growth (1 year):
- 2.26%
- Category:
- Ontario/Quebec
Ottawa - Gatineau, the national capital region, grew 2.26%.
It added 38,048 people, the most of any metro area outside Alberta.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Saskatoon
Population July 1, 2025: 378,475 (+8,709)- Population growth (1 year):
- 2.33%
- Category:
- Saskatchewan
Saskatoon grew 2.33%, tied with Oshawa at two decimal places.
Saskatoon is Saskatchewan's largest and fastest-growing metro area.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Oshawa
Population July 1, 2025: 493,441 (+11,365)- Population growth (1 year):
- 2.33%
- Category:
- Ontario
Oshawa grew 2.33%, tied with Saskatoon at two decimal places.
Oshawa is the fastest-growing metro area entirely in Ontario.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Chilliwack
Population July 1, 2025: 130,283 (+3,257)- Population growth (1 year):
- 2.53%
- Category:
- British Columbia
Chilliwack grew 2.53%, the fastest in British Columbia.
Chilliwack grew more than 12 times faster than Vancouver (0.20%), about 100 km away.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Calgary
Population July 1, 2025: 1,836,012 (+52,351)- Population growth (1 year):
- 2.89%
- Category:
- Alberta
Calgary grew 2.89% and added 52,351 people, more than any other metro area in Canada.
Calgary added more people than Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver combined (30,355).
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Moncton
Population July 1, 2025: 196,143 (+5,666)- Population growth (1 year):
- 2.93%
- Category:
- New Brunswick
Moncton grew 2.93%, the second-fastest rate in Canada and the fastest outside Alberta.
Moncton is the only metro area in the top 3 with fewer than 1 million people.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Edmonton
Population July 1, 2025: 1,692,385 (+50,717)- Population growth (1 year):
- 3.04%
- Category:
- Alberta
Edmonton was Canada's fastest-growing metro area, growing 3.04% ("+3.0%" in Statistics Canada's release).
Edmonton added 50,717 people in one year and is now just 7,629 people behind Ottawa - Gatineau, Canada's 5th-largest metro area.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
What the numbers tell us
Canada grew 0.94% in the year to July 1, 2025. Statistics Canada says growth slowed in all 41 metro areas compared with the year before. Hamilton, whose metro area includes Burlington and Grimsby, ranked 26th of 41 at 0.98% (+8,464 people). Kamloops (−0.20%) and Toronto were the only two to lose people.
- Data period:
- Population estimates for July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025 (2021 boundaries), released January 14, 2026
- Last updated:
- November 2, 2026
- Sources:
- Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01, Population estimates, July 1, by census metropolitan area and census agglomeration, 2021 boundaries (released January 14, 2026); Statistics Canada, The Daily, "Canada's population estimates: Subprovincial areas, 2025" (January 14, 2026). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada / Statistics Canada Open Licence.
All 41 census metropolitan areas (CMAs) are ranked by population growth between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, using Statistics Canada's estimates from the same release. Growth rates are calculated by Viszlyn from the published populations using Statistics Canada's annual growth-rate method, based on the natural logarithm of the ratio between the 2025 and 2024 populations. Rates are displayed to two decimal places and match Statistics Canada's published rounded figures, such as Edmonton +3.0%, Moncton +2.9% and Calgary +2.9%. A simple percentage change gives slightly higher values (Edmonton 3.09%) but the same order. Oshawa and Saskatoon are equal at two decimal places and share 5th place. Canada's 0.94% is calculated the same way from the Canada total in the same table (all of Canada, not just its metro areas). Each CMA uses 2021 boundaries and includes the core city and surrounding communities; Ottawa - Gatineau is counted once as a single CMA spanning Ontario and Quebec. Population estimates are revised over time.
Figures marked as estimates are based on publicly available information and may vary from other published sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Edmonton was Canada's fastest-growing metro area between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, growing 3.04% ("+3.0%" in Statistics Canada's release) to 1,692,385 people. Moncton (2.93%) and Calgary (2.89%) were second and third.