Canada’s Cities on the Rise: What Are The Fastest-Growing Cities?

Canada’s urban population is expanding along two distinct but equally important lines: total population gain and relative growth rate. Toronto leads the country in absolute numbers, adding nearly 269,000 residents, more than any other metropolitan area. Calgary, meanwhile, recorded the fastest growth rate, with its population rising by 5.8%.

Toronto and Calgary top the roster of Canada’s fastest-growing cities, exemplifying the two faces of urban expansion. Beyond these two, several other municipalities reported robust increases in population, whether measured in sheer numbers or percentage gains, driven by factors such as housing affordability, employment opportunities and quality of life, creating trends towards urban growth over the past year.

This dual pattern highlights two sides of the country’s shifting urban landscape. Large metropolitan centres like Toronto are swelling by the hundreds of thousands, placing immense pressure on transit, utilities, and housing due to the scale alone, while others, although not showing the same volume, are growing at a faster pace proportionally, creating equally urgent demand.

Leaders by Volume

Toronto’s wider metro region welcomed 268,911 new residents, making it the fastest-growing in sheer numbers, and by quite a notable amount compared to Montréal, which came in second place. Montréal’s region grew by about 132,000 people and Vancouver by nearly 127,000. Calgary and Edmonton also saw substantial gains, each adding around 100,000 and 72,000 residents, respectively. These increases mean cities must expand public transit, upgrade water and power systems, and create more housing to keep up with demand.

Source: Statistics Canada

Leaders by Growth Percentage

When looking at growth rates instead of headcounts, a different picture emerges. Calgary grew by 5.8%, the highest among Canadian CMAs. Moncton’s population rose by 5.1%, highlighting a rebound in Atlantic Canada. The Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo area saw a 4.9% increase, reflecting its growing tech industry. Edmonton and Peterborough each grew by 4.5%, while Vancouver and Saskatoon rose by 4.2 and 4.1% respectively. These rates reveal where services like schools and emergency response need to scale up quickly. 

Source: Statistics Canada

Leaders by Growth Percentage

When looking at growth rates instead of headcounts, a different picture emerges. Calgary grew by 5.8%, the highest among Canadian CMAs. Moncton’s population rose by 5.1%, highlighting a rebound in Atlantic Canada. The Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo area saw a 4.9% increase, reflecting its growing tech industry. Edmonton and Peterborough each grew by 4.5%, while Vancouver and Saskatoon rose by 4.2 and 4.1% respectively. These rates reveal where services like schools and emergency response need to scale up quickly. 

Source: Statistics Canada

Comparison to US Cities

Toronto even topped US cities for growth in terms of volume.

Source: Census.gov

Source: Census.gov

Understanding Growth by Volume and Pace

The metric of absolute population gains simply counts how many new people moved into an area, indicating where the biggest numbers are settling. In these places, the sheer number of new residents can put immediate stress on systems and create significant demand for housing.

By contrast, tracking percentage growth shows how quickly a community is growing in relation to its existing size. Even a modest number of newcomers can translate into a significant percentage jump for a smaller city or region. This kind of rapid relative growth can strain local budgets and services in different ways. Percentage growth highlights the speed of change rather than the total size of the change.

Considering both measures together gives a more complete picture. Absolute gains point planners toward where they must build or expand the big-ticket infrastructure projects, while percentage growth signals where per-person demand on local services is rising fastest.