According to the latest StatsCan estimates, Calgary's population grew by 6%, Edmonton's by 4.2%.

The population of the Calgary metro area grew by nearly 96,000 people last year — a staggering six per cent increase in just 12 months, according to new estimates released by Statistics Canada on Wednesday.

Edmonton, meanwhile, added more than 63,000 people, a 4.2 percent increase.

This is the largest increase since 2001 for both cities in current Statistics Canada records.

Alberta's recent population growth has been well documented, but these new numbers give a clearer picture of how many people are now living in its two largest metropolitan areas.

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As of July 1, 2023, there were 1.68 million people living in and around Calgary, up from 1.59 million a year earlier, according to the latest estimates.

Edmonton metro area increased from 1.5 million to 1.56 million.

Both cities have seen rapid population growth in the past, but nothing like this in recent times.

Calgary's growth rate of six per cent was well above 2006's 3.5 per cent.

And Edmonton's 4.2 percent growth beat 2014's high by a full percentage point.

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Immigration and interprovincial migration

Much of the population growth in both Calgary and Edmonton has been driven by the arrival of people from other countries, including permanent immigrants and temporary international residents.

Natural increase (more births than deaths) accounted for less than 10 percent of growth in both cities.

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Both Calgary and Edmonton saw high levels of growth due to interprovincial migration, meaning more people moved from other provinces to Alberta cities than people left those cities to other provinces.

Calgary led the country in net interprovincial migration, gaining 26,662 residents from other provinces.

Edmonton was second with 16,082 residents.

Halifax was the third most affected by interprovincial migration, gaining 3,464 people. And Lethbridge, Alta., was fourth with 1,651 points.

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Other major cities, in comparison, lost population to other provinces.

Vancouver saw a net decrease of 4,795 residents. Winnipeg lost 7,643. Montreal lost 8,975.

And Toronto saw the biggest loss of any other province, with a net drop of 16,092.

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Calgary had the highest growth rate among major cities

Among Canada's major cities, Calgary had the highest rate of overall population growth.

Of all 41 metropolitan areas tracked by Statistics Canada, only Moncton, N.B., and Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Ont., did better, both of which saw population growth of 6.1 per cent.

Edmonton's rate of 4.2 percent was tied with metropolitan Vancouver.

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Statistics Canada's definition of metro Calgary includes Airdrie, Beisecker, Chestermere, Cochrane, Crossfield, Irricana, Rocky View County and Tsuutina Nation.

It does not include Okotoks or Strathmore. (Here's a full PDF map of Calgary's boundaries.)

The Edmonton metropolitan area includes Rocky Plain, Spruce Grove, Leduc, Sherwood Park and Fort Saskatchewan, as well as smaller nearby communities. (Here's a PDF map of Edmonton's complete boundaries.)