Calgary's population is over 1.6 million: StatCan

Calgary has the highest population growth rate of any of Canada's largest cities between 2022 and 2023 – more than 1.6 million people.

Statistics Canada updated its population estimate on Wednesday, with Calgary reaching 1,682,509 as of July 1, 2023.

Of Canada's six census metropolitan areas (CMAs) with a population of more than one million, Calgary had the highest growth rate at 5.9%.

All six cities experienced the fastest growth in 2001-2002 – Edmonton (+4.1 per cent), Vancouver (+4.1 per cent), Toronto (+3.3 per cent), Montreal (+2.9 per cent) and Ottawa – Gatineau (+). 2.6 percent) followed by Calgary.

The population of the Calgary CMA is expected to increase by 95,784 to 1,586,725 in 2022-2023. This increase of nearly 100,000 people exceeded the city's cumulative population growth between 2019 and 2022 (+83,430).

Statistics Canada noted that all four CMAs in Alberta – Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Red Deer – saw net population gains through exchanges with other provinces.

“From July 1, 2022 to July 1, 2023, Alberta surpassed British Columbia as the region with the largest gains from interprovincial exchanges,” Statistics Canada said in an article Wednesday.

Calgary, Edmonton and Lethbridge saw their largest net gains since 2001-2002, while Red Deer's growth was the largest since 2005-2006. Net increase from other provinces for each city:

• Calgary – +26,662;
• Edmonton – +16,082;
• Lethbridge – +1,651; and
• Red Deer – +1,277.

Nationally, Canada's CMA population is projected to grow to 29,814,146 in 2023, up 3.5 percent from 2022.

All 41 CMAs across Canada experienced population growth for the second year in a row.