Mississauga slips to #7 largest population in Canada
Published June 8, 2022 at 12:18 pm
We may like to think of Mississauga as a major growing metropolis, but recent census data indicates that the city’s population has declined, not grown.
According to the 2021 Canadian census data, which was published earlier this year, Mississauga’s population dropped to 717,961 in 2021 from 721,599 in 2016 — a drop of 3,638 people (−0.50%).
That now makes Mississauga the 7th largest population in Canada, falling below the city of Winnipeg, which saw its population rise considerably from 705,244 in 2016 to 749,607 in 2021.
That also makes Mississauga the only city in Canada’s 35 most populated cities to have had its population decline instead of grow in the 2021 census data.
In a recent Insauga interview about Mississauga potentially leaving Peel Region, Mayor Bonnie Crombie attributed the population loss to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which she says many people who no longer needed to commute to work decided to sell their homes and move to more remote areas.
However, Crombie is confident the city will get its larger population back, citing ongoing condo and transit development in the city’s downtown core and other areas.
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“There’s so much going on in our city, you know we’re going to get it back,” Crombie said.
Despite Mississauga being an exception, Ontario — already known as Canada’s most populous province — grew at a faster pace than the rest of the country overall over the last five years.
This population growth is attributed largely to immigration, with some of the most dramatic local growth happening outside of Ontario’s largest urban areas.
A number of First Nations communities were among those with the largest population bumps, and towns like Collingwood and Wasaga Beach were among the fastest-growing areas in the country.
Most other major cities and urban areas in Ontario saw at least some growth, with Toronto retaining its #1 spot as the most populated city in Ontario and in Canada overall.
Statistics Canada organizes a census every five years to create a detailed statistical portrait of Canada and its population, as well as determine demographic, social, and economic characteristics.
The next major 2021 Census release, scheduled for July 13, 2022, will provide insight on several more areas of interest: Families, households, and marital status, Canadian military experience, and income.
With files from The Canadian Press
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