Immigration continues to fuel P.E.I.'s population growth while natural increase declines, says StatsCan
Migration trends, however, have shifted compared to the pandemic period
Immigration remains the driving force behind population growth on Prince Edward Island, while the province continues to see more deaths than births since 2021.
By those numbers, without immigration, the Island's population would be shrinking.
Between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2024, for example, there were 434 deaths compared to 387 births, according to recent population estimates released by Statistics Canada on Dec. 17.
The agency estimates that 179,301 people live on the Island as of Oct. 1, 2024 — an increase of nearly 19,000 people compared to 2021.
This growth has been largely fuelled by international migration, which includes both immigrants and non-permanent residents.
Statistics Canada defines immigrants as individuals granted the right to live in Canada permanently, while non-permanent residents are those living in the country temporarily, such as international students or people with work permits.
Net interprovincial migration has also contributed to P.E.I.'s population growth since 2021, although its impact has diminished in recent years.
During the pandemic, the Island saw significant population gains from other provinces, with interprovincial migration even surpassing international migration during certain periods. This trend was also seen in other Atlantic provinces at the time.
Ontario provided the largest boost to the Island population between 2021 an 2024, with a net gain of more than 3,400 people.
Alberta was the most common destination for P.E.I. residents moving away, resulting in a net loss of more than 500 people to that province.
However, interprovincial migration has slowed down substantially in the last two years, sliding into negative territory. From July 1 to Sept. 30 last year, P.E.I. experienced a net loss of 211 people to other provinces.
Another demographic trend seen on P.E.I. is the decline in non-permanent residents.
While temporary residents such as international students and workers significantly contributed to population growth since 2021, their numbers have plummeted in 2024. For most of the year, net migration in this category was negative, meaning more temporary residents left the Island than arrived.
P.E.I.'s population grew slowly through the 2000s but began increasing at a faster pace after 2015, when then-premier Wade MacLauchlan emphasized the importance of immigration to address the challenges of an aging population.
Since then, immigration has been a major driver of growth. But the rapid influx of people has placed significant pressure on housing, health care and infrastructure.
In response, both federal and provincial governments have recently taken steps to manage the pace of population growth.
The federal government announced plans in the fall to reduce immigration, particularly among temporary residents, including international students and foreign workers.
On P.E.I., the provincial government introduced an updated population strategy in early 2024, aiming to slow growth and cap the population at 200,000 by 2030.
Provincial officials say this measure is necessary to allow public services and infrastructure to catch up with the demands of a growing population.