PEI Population Report Quarterly

Population Report, Fourth Quarter 2023

DIAGRAM 1: PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND POPULATION, QUARTERLY, 2019 - 2024

On March 27, 2024 Statistics Canada published its provincial population estimates for the fourth quarter of 2023. The data shows Prince Edward Island’s population is estimated to be 176,162 as of January 1, 2024. This represents a yearly increase of 6,227 persons. The year-over-year growth rate was 3.7 per cent, the second highest growth rate among provinces and territories, behind Alberta at 4.4 per cent and just ahead of Ontario at 3.5 per cent. Canada’s population increased 3.2 per cent year-over-year.

The quarterly estimates since October 1, 2021 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 recorded population increases January 1, 2024 compared to January 1, 2023. Population estimates for January 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 December 31, 2023 are also included.

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

Components of Growth

The total increase in PEI’s population from October 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023 was 309 people or 0.2 per cent. This was the lowest quarterly increase since the fourth quarter of 2020.

Natural Increase

There were 346 births and 411 deaths on Prince Edward Island from October 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023, resulting in natural growth (births minus deaths) of -65.

International Migration

The fourth quarter of 2023 saw 825 immigrants come to PEI. On a year-over-year basis, this is a 163.6 per cent increase (as compared to the fourth quarter of 2022). At a rate of 4.7 per thousand , the province had the highest quarterly immigration rate in the country. The immigration rate for Canada was 2.5 per thousand.

It was estimated that 928 non-permanent residents (NPRs) came to PEI during the fourth quarter of 2023, while 1,128 NPR’s left the province, for a net change of -200. As of January 1, 2024, there were 11,137 NPRs on PEI consisting of 5,792 work permit holders, 4,210 study permit holders, 788 with both work and study permits, 315 other permit holders, and 32 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.

Total net international migration for PEI was estimated to be +600 persons during the fourth quarter of 2023. This consisted of the 825 international immigrants, 928 non-permanent residents and 42 returning Canadians entering the province, while 67 international emigrants and 1,128 non-permanent residents left the province. Net international migration for PEI over the 2023 calendar year was 5,562. This compares to 4,384 in 2022, an increase of 26.9 per cent.

Inter-provincial Migration

A total of 628 inter-provincial migrants came to PEI during the fourth quarter of 2023, while 854 people left the province for other areas of Canada, for a net interprovincial loss of 266 people. This compares to a net gain of 424 persons over the same period in 2022. As shown in Table 3, the primary source of PEI’s inter-provincial in-migrants during this period was from Ontario, followed by British Columbia and Nova Scotia. The main destinations of out-migrants from Prince Edward Island were Ontario, Nova Scotia and Alberta. 37.8 per cent of all interprovincial migrants from other provinces were destined for Alberta.

TABLE 3: ORIGIN & DESTINATION OF INTER-PROVINCIAL MIGRANTS, OCTOBER 1, 2023 TO DECEMBER 31, 2023

Prince Edward Island quarterly components of growth from July 1, 2021 to January 1, 2024 can be seen in table 4.

TABLE 4: PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND QUARTERLY POPULATION AND COMPONENTS OF GROWTH JULY 1 2021 – JANUARY 1 2024

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