Largest Canadian Provinces by Population
Most of Canada’s population is concentrated in a few key regions, leaving vast areas of the country sparsely inhabited. While the nation is geographically the second largest on Earth, about two-thirds of its residents live in Ontario and Quebec, primarily in urban centers near the U.S. border. This results in a significant population gap between the industrial and financial hubs of the East and West and the smaller, more resource-dependent provinces and territories. The following table ranks the Canadian provinces by population. Ontario, home to Toronto, is by far the largest province in Canada in terms of population.
| Rank | Province | Population (Approx. 2024/2025) | Largest City |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ontario | 16,100,000 | Toronto |
| 2 | Quebec | 9,050,000 | Montreal |
| 3 | British Columbia | 5,650,000 | Vancouver |
| 4 | Alberta | 4,850,000 | Calgary |
| 5 | Manitoba | 1,490,000 | Winnipeg |
| 6 | Saskatchewan | 1,230,000 | Saskatoon |
| 7 | Nova Scotia | 1,070,000 | Halifax |
| 8 | New Brunswick | 850,000 | Moncton |
| 9 | Newfoundland and Labrador | 545,000 | St. John’s |
| 10 | Prince Edward Island | 178,000 | Charlottetown |
Click here to see the Canadian Provinces ranked by land area.