P.E.I. sees 1st quarterly population decline since 2020 as immigration slows

For the first time in recent years, Prince Edward Island's population has shown some small signs of decline.

According to recent data from Statistics Canada, P.E.I.'s population stood at 179,280 on Jan. 1, 2025, which reflects a tiny drop of 21 people from the previous quarter.

Though that's small, it does mark the first quarterly decrease since the last three months of 2020, when the population briefly declined during the COVID pandemic before resuming its steady growth.

As of Thursday, live projections from Statistics Canada estimate the population has fallen further to 179,249.

Patrick Brannon, a senior researcher with the Atlantic Economic Council, says that decline was not unexpected, given recent federal and provincial policy changes aimed at reducing immigration. They were designed to ease population growth and the strain it causes on infrastructure like housing and health care.

Brannon said while immigration has decreased, P.E.I. has also experienced a net loss of residents to other provinces, like Ontario and Alberta. Additionally, the province has faced negative natural population growth in recent years, meaning more Islanders are dying than being born.

"That's leading to population decline, and that's something we may see over the next year at least," Brannon told CBC News.

In the last quarter of 2024, international immigration was the only factor contributing to population growth, with 505 newcomers arriving in the province.

However, this was offset by a continued decline in natural population growth, with 450 deaths and only 357 births.

The Island also saw a net loss of 198 residents to other provinces, with Alberta receiving the highest number of Islanders.

On top of that, there was a net loss of 219 non-permanent residents, such as international students and foreign workers.

Temporary residents contributed significantly to the Island's population in the past few years, but their numbers have plummeted over recent quarters. When the level slides into negative territory, that means more temporary residents left the Island than arrived in the province.

This coincided with a number of major changes to the Island's immigration system. Foreign workers and international students have raised concerns that those policy changes are making it difficult for them to get permanent resident status, causing them to leave the province.

Despite the recent slowdown, Brannon said P.E.I. still has stronger immigration levels compared to other Atlantic provinces.