Québec, May 22, 2024. – Almost all of Québec’s administrative regions saw their population increase between July 1, 2022 and July 1, 2023, and half of them posted their strongest growth since data became available at this level of geography in 1986–1987. This is especially true for Montréal, which had the strongest growth of all regions by far. Montréal’s population increased by 89,600 over the past year, up 4.3% compared to 2.3% for the province overall. No region had ever registered such a high annual growth rate. The increase in Montréal alone accounted for 44% of province’s total annual growth.
Annual population growth rate, administrative regions and all of Québec, 2019–2023
Sources: Institut de la statistique du Québec.
Statistics Canada, Annual Demographic Estimates. Adapted by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
The Capitale-Nationale region came in second place in terms of population growth for 2022–2023 (2.6%), its highest ranking to date.
Population growth also reached new highs in the regions of Estrie, Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches, Mauricie, Montérégie, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, and Bas-Saint-Laurent. The Lanaudière, Laval, Outaouais and Laurentides regions also experienced strong growth but did not set new records.
By comparison, growth was more moderate in the regions of Nord-du-Québec, Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Côte-Nord is the only region whose population did not increase between 2022 and 2023, but it remained stable after posting several declines over the past few years.
Growth fueled by international migration, especially temporary immigration
International migration was the driver of population growth in Québec in 2022–2023, as all regions posted record gains in that regard in the past year. This was due to an unprecedented increase in the number of non-permanent residents (mainly temporary foreign workers, asylum claimants, and international students).
Most regions also saw an increase in the number of immigrants admitted as permanent residents, but on a much smaller scale than the increase in non-permanent residents.
Interprovincial migration played a fairly minor role in the demographic balance of Québec’s regions, except in Outaouais where it has resulted in non-negligible gains over the past few years.
Once again, Montréal lost a large number of residents to other regions as more people left for another region than vice versa. However, these losses were more than offset by international migration gains, resulting in strong population growth.
More deaths than births in 10 out of 17 regions
In most regions, natural population increase (births minus deaths) slowed in 2023. This was essentially due to a drop in births, since the number of deaths did not increase.
In 10 out of 17 regions, there were more deaths than births. This has been the case for several years in regions with older populations such as Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Mauricie, but the same phenomenon is now being observed in regions such as Capitale-Nationale, Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Centre-du-Québec.
Even in the few regions where there were more births than deaths, natural increase remained low and played a minimal role in population growth. In Québec as a whole, natural increase was close to zero in the past year.
Historically low fertility rates
In 2023, Québec’s fertility rate fell to its second-lowest level in history at 1.38 children per woman, slightly above the all-time low of 1.36 recorded in 1987. Likewise, fertility rates dropped in every region of Québec. In several of these regions, fertility levels were among the lowest ever registered.
This was particularly true for Montréal, which has ranked last among regions for the past several years, as its fertility rate dipped to 1.16 children per woman. In contrast, the fertility rate remains much higher in Nord-du-Québec than in other regions at 2.17 children per woman, despite a decline in the past year.
Apart from Nord-du-Québec, the regions of Centre-du-Québec and Chaudière-Appalaches had the highest fertility rates, followed closely by Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Lanaudière, and Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine. In these regions, fertility ranged between 1.6 and 1.7 children per woman.
To learn more
Demographic fact sheets on Québec’s regions
Interactive charts comparing the demographic components of regions
For 25 years, the Institut de la statistique du Québec has been producing, analyzing, and disseminating official, objective and high-quality statistical information on various aspects of Québec society. It is responsible for conducting all statistical surveys of general interest. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and an essential source of information for all those wishing to learn more about Québec.