PEI Population Report Quarterly

Population Report, Third Quarter 2024

DIAGRAM 1: PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND POPULATION, QUARTERLY, 2020 - 2024

On December 17, 2024 Statistics Canada published its provincial population estimates for the third quarter of 2024. The data shows Prince Edward Island’s population was estimated to be 179,301 as of October 1, 2024. This represents a yearly increase of 3,430 people or a 2.0 percent annual growth rate. This is the fifth lowest year-over-year growth rate among provinces and territories, along with Quebec and New Brunswick, also at 2.0 percent. PEI’s year-over-year population growth has slowed in each of the past four quarters and the first time it has been 2.0 per cent or lower since April 2021. Population growth was at an all-time high of 4.0 percent during the third quarter of 2023. 

Canada’s population reached 41,465,298 as of October 1, 2024, an increase of 2.3 percent over one year ago.

The quarterly estimates since July 1, 2022 and growth rates for Canada and Prince Edward Island can be seen in Table 1.

TABLE 1: NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL POPULATION & GROWTH RATES, QUARTERLY

All jurisdictions saw a year-over-year population increase October 1, 2024 compared to October 1, 2023. Population estimates for October 1, 2023 and 2024 for all provinces and territories are shown in Table 2 below. The population growth rates and level change for the twelve-month period ending September 30, 2024 are also included.

TABLE 2: POPULATION OF PROVINCES & TERRITORIES, OCTOBER 1, 2023, 2024 & ANNUAL GROWTH RATES

Components of Growth

The total increase in PEI’s population during the third quarter of 2024 (July 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024) was 751 people.

Natural Increase

There were 387 births and 434 deaths on Prince Edward Island from July 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024, resulting in natural growth (births minus deaths) of -47. Deaths have outpaced births in each quarter since the third quarter of 2021.

International Migration

During third quarter of 2024, 977 international immigrants came to the province, down from 1,169 during the second quarter. At a rate of 5.5 per thousand , the province had the second highest quarterly immigration rate in the country, behind Yukon at 5.9 per thousand. The immigration rate for Canada was 3.0 per thousand.

Net international migration was estimated to be 1,019 people during the third quarter of 2024. This consisted of the aforementioned 977 international immigrants, plus 1,409 non-permanent residents (NPRs) and 44 returning Canadians entering the province, while 1,363 NPRs and 48 international emigrants left the province. Net international migration for PEI over the last 12-month period (October 2023 to September 2024) was 3,839. This compares to 5,590 over the previous 12-month period.

It was estimated that 1,409 non-permanent residents came to PEI during the third quarter of 2024, while 1,363 NPRs left the province, for a net change of +46. As of October 1, 2024, there were 11,369 NPRs on PEI consisting of 6,141 work permit holders, 3,904 study permit holders, 812 with both work and study permits, 412 other permit holders, and 100 asylum claimants. NPRs include foreign workers, foreign students, the humanitarian population and other temporary residents. The humanitarian population includes refugee claimants and temporary residents who are allowed to remain in Canada on humanitarian grounds and are not categorized as either foreign workers or foreign students.
 

Inter-provincial Migration

A total of 825 inter-provincial migrants came to PEI during the third quarter of 2024, while 1,046 people left the province for other areas of Canada, for a net interprovincial loss of 221. This compares to a net loss of 38 persons over the same period in 2023. As shown in Table 3, the primary source of PEI’s inter-provincial in-migrants during this period was from Ontario, followed by Alberta and Nova Scotia. The main destinations of out-migrants from Prince Edward Island were to Ontario, Alberta, and New Brunswick. Alberta gained the most from inter-provincial migration, with 33.1 percent of all interprovincial migrants from other provinces destined for Alberta.

TABLE 3: ORIGIN & DESTINATION OF INTER-PROVINCIAL MIGRANTS, JULY 1, 2024 TO OCTOBER 30, 2024

Prince Edward Island quarterly components of growth from April 1, 2022 to October 1, 2024 can be seen in table 4.

TABLE 4: PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND QUARTERLY POPULATION AND COMPONENTS OF GROWTH APRIL 1 2022 – OCTOBER 1 2024

DIAGRAM 2: PEI COMPONENTS OF GROWTH JULY 1 2024 – OCTOBER 1 2024

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