CNN
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Canada noticed record population growth in 2022, with immigration accounting for the overwhelming majority of the 1.05 million new residents.
This is the primary time in the nation’s historical past that its population has grown by a couple of million individuals in a 12-month interval, in line with a press launch from Statistics Canada revealed Wednesday.
The whole population reached 39,566,248 million on January 1 – 2.7% increased than a 12 months prior, with immigration accounting for 95.9% of that growth, in line with the nation’s statistics company.
While different developed nations grapple with slowing population growth, Canada has the quickest rising population of any G7 nation, and a 2.7% growth charge ranks in the highest 20 globally.
If the nation’s population had been to proceed rising on the similar charge, it will double in round 26 years, mentioned Statistics Canada.
The variety of immigrants arriving in Canada reached a record 437,180 in 2022, and elevated immigration “is related to efforts by the Government of Canada to ease labour shortages in key sectors of the economy,” mentioned Statistics Canada.
“High job vacancies and labour shortages are occurring in a context where population aging has accelerated in Canada and the unemployment rate remains near record low,” added the company.
In late 2022 the Canadian authorities introduced that it desires to convey in 1.5 million immigrants by 2025, to bolster the hole in its financial system created by an getting old population.
Canada ranks highest on Gallup’s Migrant Acceptance Index, and Gallup information launched December 7 final 12 months discovered that Canadians are constantly among the many most certainly in the world to see their communities nearly as good locations for migrants to reside.
However Statistics Canada raises some potential future challenges ought to the 2022 pattern proceed.
“A rise in the number of permanent and temporary immigrants could also represent additional challenges for some regions of the country related to housing, infrastructure and transportation, and service delivery to the population,” mentioned the company.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the meantime is dealing with strain from political opponents over migration ranges, resulting from a pointy enhance of individuals crossing into Canada from the US.
In January, Canadian authorities encountered nearly 5,000 asylum seekers crossing unlawfully, in line with authorities information.