PEI Population Report Quarterly

Population Report, Third Quarter 2022

DIAGRAM 1: PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND POPULATION, QUARTERLY, 2018 - 2022

On December 21, 2022 Statistics Canada published its provincial population estimates for the third quarter of 2022. The data shows Prince Edward Island’s population is estimated to be 172,707 as of October 1, 2022. This represents a yearly increase of 6,272 persons, the highest year-over-year increase on current record. This year-over-year growth rate was 3.8 per cent, the highest growth rate among provinces and territories, ahead of Nova Scotia at 3.3 per cent growth. This compares to a rate of 2.3 per cent for Canada as a whole.

The quarterly estimates since July 1, 2020 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 October 1, 2022 compared to October 1, 2021, with the exception of the Northwest Territories which remained stable. Population estimates for October 1, 2021 and 2022 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, 2022 are also included.

TABLE 2: POPULATION OF PROVINCES & TERRITORIES, OCTOBER 1, 2021, 2022 & ANNUAL GROWTH RATES

Components of Growth

The total increase in PEI’s population from July 1, 2022 to September 30, 2022 was 2,019 people.

Natural Increase

There were 390 births and 408 deaths on Prince Edward Island from July 1, 2022 to September 30, 2022, resulting in natural growth (births minus deaths) of -18.

International Migration

The third quarter of 2021 saw international immigration rebound from pandemic border restrictions, as 1,068 immigrants entered the province during that quarter. Immigration has remained strong since then, with an average of 855 immigrants arriving per quarter over the last 5 quarters. During the pandemic, the average had fallen to below 300.

The third quarter of 2022 saw 837 immigrants come to PEI. On a year-over-year basis, this is a 21.6 per cent decline (as compared to the third quarter of 2021). At a rate of 4.9 per thousand , the province had the second highest quarterly immigration rate in the country, behind Saskatchewan at 5.8 per thousand. The immigration rate for Canada was 3.1 per thousand.

Net international migration for PEI was estimated to be 2,035 persons during the third quarter of 2022. This consisted of the 837 international immigrants, 1,195 non-permanent residents (net), and 45 returning Canadians entering the province, while 30 international emigrants and 12 temporarily abroad Canadians left the province. Net international migration for PEI over the last 12-month period (October 2021 to September 2022) was 4,461. This compares to 3,151 over the previous 12-month period.

Net non-permanent residents (NPRs)  was 1,195 for the third quarter of 2022, following 730 for the second quarter. 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 1,073 inter-provincial migrants came to PEI during the third quarter of 2022, while 1,071 people left the province for other areas of Canada, for a net interprovincial gain of only 2 people. This compares to a net gain of 413 persons over the same period in 2021. As shown in Table 3, the primary source of PEI’s inter-provincial in-migrants during this period was from Ontario, followed by Nova Scotia and Alberta. The main destinations of out-migrants from Prince Edward Island were Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. 37.1 per cent of all interprovincial migrants from other provinces were destined for Alberta.

TABLE 3: ORIGIN & DESTINATION OF INTER-PROVINCIAL MIGRANTS, JULY 1, 2022 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

Prince Edward Island quarterly components of growth from April 1, 2020 to October 1, 2022 can be seen in table 4.

TABLE 4: PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND QUARTERLY POPULATION AND COMPONENTS OF GROWTH APRIL 1 2020 – OCTOBER 1 2022

Related downloads for this release: