What population did Canada's 2021 census record?

Canada's 2021 census recorded a population of 36,991,981.

Statistics Canada conducted the country's 24th census of population in 2021. The count measured Canada's population and housing conditions during a period shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it included residents across the provinces and territories. Canada is geographically vast, but its population remains concentrated near the southern border and in a relatively small number of urban regions.

The 2021 total was 5.2% higher than the 2016 census population of 35,151,728, an increase of 1,840,253 people. This growth made Canada one of the faster-growing G7 countries during the period, with immigration contributing significantly to population expansion.

The number 35,151,728 is therefore not a rival 2021 answer; it is Canada's 2016 census total. Another frequent source of confusion is mixing a census count with a later population estimate. Census results are benchmark counts collected at a particular time, whereas annual estimates change as births, deaths and migration are recorded.