Alberta Population Surges: Leading Interprovincial Migration for Three Years
New data from Statistics Canada reveals that Alberta has been the top destination for Canadians moving within the country for three consecutive years. This influx, combined with a rise in births and international immigration, has propelled the province's population past the five million mark as of July 1, 2025.
Alberta's Population Growth: A Detailed Look
As of July 1, 2025, Alberta was home to 5,029,346 people, according to Statistics Canada estimates. During the second quarter of 2025 (April to June), Alberta's population increased by approximately 0.4 percent, significantly outpacing the national growth rate of 0.1 percent. This marks Canada's lowest second-quarter growth rate since 1946, excluding pandemic years.
British Columbia was the only province to experience a population decrease during this period, shrinking by 0.04 percent. Alberta gained 6,187 people through interprovincial migration in the second quarter of 2025, marking twelve consecutive quarters of leading the country in this area.
Interprovincial Migration Trends
Ontario experienced a net loss of 6,154 residents due to interprovincial migration from April through June, marking 15 straight quarters of net losses. Most interprovincial migrants arriving in Alberta came from Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia. Here are the key movements:
- Ontario to Alberta: A net gain of 2,987 people (8,780 moved from Ontario to Alberta, and 5,793 moved from Alberta to Ontario).
- Saskatchewan to Alberta: A net gain of 1,064 people (3,289 moved from Saskatchewan to Alberta, and 2,225 moved from Alberta to Saskatchewan).
- British Columbia to Alberta: A net gain of 1,025 people (8,931 moved from British Columbia to Alberta, and 7,906 moved from Alberta to British Columbia).
International Migration and Natural Increase
International migration contributed significantly to Alberta's population growth in the second quarter of 2025, with the province gaining 11,538 residents from other countries. The province also experienced a natural increase of 5,361 people (more births than deaths) during the same period.
The number of temporary international residents in the province declined by 3,818, continuing a trend that began following new federal regulations regarding temporary residents, particularly study permits for international students. For two consecutive quarters in Alberta and three nationally, the number of non-permanent residents has decreased, following years of growth. The number of non-permanent residents in Canada peaked at 3.15 million in October 2024 (7.6% of the total population) and decreased to 3.02 million as of July 2025 (7.3% of the total population), according to Statistics Canada.
