Population growth spurt partly due to international students: StatsCan

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Canada’s population is in a growth spurt, but not because we’re having more babies.

After a few years of slow growth, last year Canada’s population suddenly grew faster than it had in nearly three decades. According to numbers from Statistics Canada, non-permanent residents lead the pack, with international post-secondary students one of the largest categories among them.

Sri Thanabalasingam with TD Economics says after school ends many are choosing to stay, which is good news for our economy.

“This could be a temporary boost because that’s what, by definition, non-permanent residents should be. But what we’re finding is more and more students are coming into Canada and more and more students are choosing to settle in Canada as well,” he says. “We see that help ease the impact of an aging population, productivity might experience a boost and at the same time we get increased diversity, which is also good for Canadian society.”

Thanabalasingam says it also speaks well of Canada’s education system.

“If they’re coming in for education that means our education system is quite good and we’re competitive. And by then settling and becoming a part of Canadian society, that actually benefits the economy over the longer run,” he says.

Other non-residents like refugees and temporary foreign workers have also played a role in boosting Canada’s population.

Canadas Population Boom_An International Student Story

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today