Alberta has maintained its position as the top choice for Canadian residents relocating within the country for three consecutive years, as per the latest data from Statistics Canada released on Wednesday. The province’s population has crossed the five-million mark, standing at 5,029,346 as of July 1.
During the second quarter of 2025 (April to June), Alberta experienced a population growth of approximately 0.4%, outpacing the national growth rate of 0.1%. This represents Canada’s lowest second-quarter growth rate since 1946, excluding pandemic years. Conversely, British Columbia was the only region that saw a population decline, contracting by 0.04%.
Alberta has consistently attracted the most interprovincial migrants within Canada, gaining 6,187 individuals in the second quarter of 2025. This marks a streak of 12 consecutive quarters where Alberta led in interprovincial migration. In contrast, Ontario saw a net loss of 6,154 residents due to interprovincial migration during the same period, continuing a trend of 15 straight quarters with the largest net outflow of residents.
The majority of interprovincial migrants moving to Alberta originated from Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia. Specifically, 8,780 Ontarians relocated to Alberta while 3,289 individuals moved from Saskatchewan to Alberta, and 8,931 British Columbians made the move to Alberta.
International migration significantly contributed to Alberta’s population growth, with the province welcoming 11,538 residents from other countries in the second quarter of 2025. Additionally, natural population growth, driven by more births than deaths, added 5,361 individuals to Alberta’s population during the same period.
The decline in temporary international residents in Alberta follows the implementation of new federal regulations affecting temporary residents, particularly in study permits for international students at post-secondary institutions.
The number of non-permanent residents in Canada has decreased from 3.15 million in October 2024 to 3.02 million as of July 2025, representing 7.3% of the total population, after years of substantial growth.
Overall, Alberta’s population growth continues to be fueled by a combination of interprovincial migration, international migration, and natural increases, solidifying its status as a preferred destination for individuals within Canada and abroad.
