Murray Wood: Government nickel and dimes us in advance of Saskatchewan budget
We know the budget is going to include a deficit, and Murray Wood says it's probably not a good sign that the government...
Statistics Canada’s population estimate suggests Canada’s population declined last year, due primarily to a drop in the number of non-permanent immigrants.
The estimate suggests Canada’s population lost about 102,000 people in 2025.
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That came after the non-permanent resident population fell by more than 171,000 individuals between Oct. 1, 2025 and Jan. 1, 2026.
The agency says these estimates should be interpreted with caution, as a spike in renewals for work and study permits could lead to larger-than-usual population changes in the coming months.
The latest figures from the immigration department show the number of arriving international students and workers continues to decline, with a 28 per cent drop in new arrivals between January 2025 and January 2026.
The government’s Immigration Levels Plan for 2026 plots a continuing reduction in the number of temporary workers and international students over the next three years, after years of rapid growth that peaked in fall 2024.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2026.
