Canada's 20 Largest Cities by Population
Ranked by metro-area population from Statistics Canada's latest estimates. Toronto still leads by far, but Alberta's cities are growing fastest.
Quick Answer
Toronto is Canada's largest city by metro-area population, with 7,108,874 people as of July 1, 2025, according to Statistics Canada. Montréal is second (4,597,837), followed by Vancouver (3,088,036), Calgary (1,836,012) and Ottawa - Gatineau (1,700,014). Edmonton grew fastest (about +3.0%), while Toronto was the only one of the 20 largest metro areas whose population fell, by 992 people.
This ranking uses Statistics Canada's census metropolitan areas (CMAs): a core city plus the surrounding communities closely tied to it by commuting. That's why the numbers are larger than for the city itself; the Toronto CMA, for example, includes Mississauga and Brampton. Figures are Statistics Canada's population estimates for July 1, 2025, released on January 14, 2026, the latest available. The one-year change compares July 1, 2024 with July 1, 2025 from the same release.
Canada's biggest cities have almost stopped growing
Toronto's population fell by 992 people between July 2024 and July 2025, Vancouver grew about 0.2% and Montréal about 0.5%. Meanwhile, Calgary (+52,351) and Edmonton (+50,717) together added more than three times as many people as Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver combined. Statistics Canada links the slowdown to fewer non-permanent residents, and says its latest quarterly estimates show Canada's total population has decreased since July 1, 2025.
Population by census metropolitan area, July 1, 2025 · Millions
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01 (released January 14, 2026)Tap any city to jump to its full breakdown below.
Ranked #20 to #1
Barrie
1-year change: +2.2% (+5,348 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 252,446
- Category:
- Ontario
Barrie rounds out the top 20 with 252,446 people, up about 2.2%.
Barrie is just 2,159 people behind Kelowna.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Kelowna
1-year change: +1.2% (+2,957 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 254,605
- Category:
- British Columbia
Kelowna has 254,605 people, up about 1.2%.
Kelowna is British Columbia's third-largest metro area.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Regina
1-year change: +2.2% (+6,148 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 291,187
- Category:
- Saskatchewan
Regina, Saskatchewan's capital, has 291,187 people, up about 2.2%.
Regina is about 87,300 people behind Saskatoon.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Saskatoon
1-year change: +2.4% (+8,709 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 378,475
- Category:
- Saskatchewan
Saskatoon has 378,475 people, up about 2.4%.
Saskatoon is Saskatchewan's largest metro area.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Victoria
1-year change: +0.7% (+3,129 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 445,090
- Category:
- British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia's capital, has 445,090 people, up about 0.7%.
Victoria is British Columbia's second-largest metro area after Vancouver.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Windsor
1-year change: +0.8% (+4,040 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 488,738
- Category:
- Ontario
Windsor has 488,738 people, up about 0.8%.
Windsor is just 4,703 people behind Oshawa.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Oshawa
1-year change: +2.4% (+11,365 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 493,441
- Category:
- Ontario
Oshawa has 493,441 people, up about 2.4%.
Oshawa grew faster than any other Ontario metro area in this top 20.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
St. Catharines - Niagara
1-year change: +2.0% (+10,062 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 503,670
- Category:
- Ontario
St. Catharines - Niagara has 503,670 people, up about 2.0%.
It passed the 500,000 mark between July 2024 and July 2025.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Halifax
1-year change: +1.6% (+8,462 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 544,834
- Category:
- Nova Scotia
Halifax, Nova Scotia's only metro area, has 544,834 people, up about 1.6%.
Halifax is the largest metro area in Atlantic Canada.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
London
1-year change: +1.0% (+6,127 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 633,002
- Category:
- Ontario
London, Ontario has 633,002 people, up about 1.0%.
London is about 68,600 people behind Kitchener - Cambridge - Waterloo.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Kitchener - Cambridge - Waterloo
1-year change: +0.3% (+2,166 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 701,568
- Category:
- Ontario
Kitchener - Cambridge - Waterloo has 701,568 people.
It grew only about 0.3%, one of the slowest rates in this top 20.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Hamilton
1-year change: +1.0% (+8,464 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 871,143
- Category:
- Ontario
Hamilton has 871,143 people, up about 1.0%.
Hamilton is the third-largest metro area in Ontario, after Toronto and the Ontario part of Ottawa - Gatineau.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Québec
1-year change: +1.0% (+8,916 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 903,607
- Category:
- Quebec
Québec City has 903,607 people, up about 1.0%.
Québec is Quebec's second-largest metro area after Montréal.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Winnipeg
1-year change: +1.2% (+11,748 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 951,758
- Category:
- Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba's only metro area, has 951,758 people, up about 1.2%.
Winnipeg is the largest metro area between Alberta and Ontario.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Edmonton
1-year change: +3.0% (+50,717 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 1,692,385
- Category:
- Alberta
Edmonton has 1,692,385 people and grew about 3.0%, the fastest rate of any metro area in Canada, according to Statistics Canada.
Edmonton added 50,717 people in a year and is closing in on Ottawa - Gatineau, now just 7,629 people behind.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Ottawa - Gatineau
1-year change: +2.3% (+38,048 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 1,700,014
- Category:
- Ontario/Quebec
Ottawa - Gatineau, the national capital region spanning Ontario and Quebec, has 1,700,014 people.
Ottawa - Gatineau is only 7,629 people ahead of Edmonton in 6th.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Calgary
1-year change: +2.9% (+52,351 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 1,836,012
- Category:
- Alberta
Calgary is Canada's fourth-largest metro area, with 1,836,012 people.
Calgary added 52,351 people in a year, the most of any metro area in Canada.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Vancouver
1-year change: +0.2% (+6,323 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 3,088,036
- Category:
- British Columbia
Vancouver is third, with 3,088,036 people.
Vancouver grew only about 0.2%, the second-slowest rate in this top 20 after Toronto.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Montréal
1-year change: +0.5% (+25,024 people)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 4,597,837
- Category:
- Quebec
Montréal is Canada's second-largest metro area, with 4,597,837 people.
Montréal added 25,024 people, about 0.5%, the most of Canada's three biggest metro areas.
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
Toronto
1-year change: −992 people (about −0.01%)- Population (July 1, 2025):
- 7,108,874
- Category:
- Ontario
Toronto is Canada's largest metro area by far, with 7,108,874 people, about 17% of the country's population.
Toronto's population edged down by 992 people between July 2024 and July 2025. It was the only one of Canada's 20 largest metro areas to shrink, and one of only two of all 41 (Kamloops, B.C., fell by 259).
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01
What the numbers tell us
Canada's population was 41,651,653 on July 1, 2025, up about 0.9% in a year. Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver together hold about 36% of Canadians, but they grew the least. Eight of the 20 largest metro areas are in Ontario.
- Data period:
- Population estimates for July 1, 2025 and July 1, 2024 (2021 boundaries), released January 14, 2026
- Last updated:
- October 30, 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.
Metro areas are ranked by Statistics Canada's population estimate for July 1, 2025. Each is a census metropolitan area (CMA) using 2021 boundaries, so it includes the core city and surrounding communities, not just the city's municipal limits. Ottawa - Gatineau is counted once, as a single CMA spanning Ontario and Quebec. One-year change compares the July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025 estimates from the same release, so both use the same methods and revisions. Percentages are calculated by Viszlyn from the published estimates and rounded, except Edmonton's, which is shown as Statistics Canada reports it (+3.0%, from its unrounded estimates; the published figures give 3.09%). 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
Toronto, with 7,108,874 people in its metro area as of July 1, 2025, according to Statistics Canada. Montréal (4,597,837) and Vancouver (3,088,036) are second and third.