New Brunswick, Canada: Population Trends

New Brunswick, Canada, is experiencing a population boom. As of 2023, the population of New Brunswick stood at 834,691, with the province gaining more than 40,000 people in the past five years alone. This is a significant increase from 2000, when the population was 750,517. The province has seen record population growth, adding almost 25,000 people in the past year, the largest increase in decades. This growth is mainly due to international migration and people moving to New Brunswick from other provinces, particularly Ontario and Alberta.

Population growth

New Brunswick, Canada, has seen unprecedented population growth in recent years, with the province's population increasing by more than 25,000 people in a single year—the largest increase in decades. This growth has been fuelled primarily by newcomers, both from other provinces in Canada and internationally. Between July 2021 and July 2023, New Brunswick gained nearly 15,000 Canadians from other provinces, mainly Ontario, and welcomed over 33,000 immigrants from other countries. This includes approximately 19,400 permanent immigrants, largely from India, China, and the Philippines, as well as 14,000 temporary immigrants such as students, foreign workers, and refugees.

This rapid population growth has brought about both benefits and challenges for New Brunswick. On the one hand, it has contributed to a budget surplus of over $1 billion for the provincial government, driven by increased income and sales tax revenues. The economy has expanded alongside the growing population, with rising retail sales, record-high restaurant receipts, and increased construction activity. This economic growth has resulted in the creation of 28,000 full-time jobs in the province over the last two years. Additionally, the influx of newcomers has helped to fill gaps in the labour market and lower the average age of the population, as a large proportion of immigrants tend to be young families and working-age adults.

However, this sudden and significant increase in population has also strained resources and infrastructure in New Brunswick. There is a shortage of housing, with construction unable to keep pace with the growing number of residents, leading to soaring housing prices and rent increases. This, in turn, has contributed to a growing number of unhoused individuals and families, with record numbers of people forced into homelessness. The province's health care system is also under pressure, with a lack of doctors and specialists, and schools are facing challenges due to increased enrolment, requiring the use of portable classrooms to accommodate all students.

To address these challenges, the New Brunswick government has pledged to implement measures to improve affordability and is working to expand and enhance critical services and infrastructure to meet the needs of its growing population.

Population demographics

New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and the only officially bilingual province, with French and English as its two official languages. The province's population was estimated to be 729,997 in 2006, with the majority being English-speaking and a substantial French-speaking minority of mostly Acadian origin. The population grew to 775,610 in 2021, and a more recent estimate puts the population at over 800,000 as of March 2022.

The First Nations in New Brunswick include the Mi'kmaq and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet). The first European settlers, the Acadians, are descendants of French settlers and some of the Indigenous peoples of Acadia, a former French colony in present-day Nova Scotia. The Acadians were expelled by the British in 1755 for refusing to pledge allegiance to King George II, leading to thousands of Acadians seeking exile in North America, the UK, and France. Over time, some Acadians returned to Canada's Maritime provinces, particularly New Brunswick, as the British prevented them from resettling in their former lands in Nova Scotia.

The English-speaking population of New Brunswick largely descends from Loyalists who fled the American Revolution. The province's motto, "Spem reduxit" ("hope was restored"), commemorates this history. A significant population with Irish ancestry is present, especially in Saint John and the Miramichi Valley. People of Scottish descent are scattered across New Brunswick, with higher concentrations in the Miramichi and Campbellton regions. Additionally, a small population of Danish origin can be found in New Denmark in the province's northwest.

The 2021 Canadian Census revealed that about 33.2% of New Brunswick's population, or approximately 246,000 people, reported being able to speak both English and French. This bilingualism is a distinctive feature of the province, as the minority language communities in Ontario and Quebec comprise less than 10% of their respective provincial populations. New Brunswick's bilingual status is enshrined in both provincial and federal law, with the Canadian Constitution specifically recognising the equal rights and privileges of its French and English-speaking communities.

In terms of religious groups, the 2021 census indicated that Christianity was the predominant faith, with 512,645 people or 67.5% of the population. Irreligion was the second-largest group, comprising 225,125 people or 29.7%. Other religious groups included Islam (1.2%), Hinduism (0.4%), Sikhism (0.2%), Buddhism (0.1%), Indigenous Spirituality (0.1%), Judaism (0.1%), and other faiths (0.5%).

Population density

New Brunswick, Canada, has a land area of 71,377.18 square kilometres and a population density of 10.5 persons per square kilometre. This is higher than the Canadian national average of 3.7 persons per square kilometre.

New Brunswick's population is distributed unevenly, with only about half of its inhabitants living in urban areas, predominantly Moncton, Saint John, and Fredericton. The province's 107 municipalities, which cover 8.6% of its land mass, are home to 65.3% of its population. The three major urban areas in the south of the province are Greater Moncton (population: 157,717), Greater Saint John (population: 130,613), and Greater Fredericton (population: 108,610).

In 2011, 61.1% of New Brunswick's population lived inside a census metropolitan area (CMA) or census agglomeration (CA), while 38.9% lived outside these areas. The average household size in New Brunswick was 2.3 persons in 2011, compared to the Canadian average of 2.5 persons.

The population of New Brunswick has been increasing over time. In 2016, the population was 747,101, and in 2021, it was 775,610. A more recent estimate from March 2022 puts the population at over 800,000, and in 2024, the population is estimated to be 855,825.

Population distribution

New Brunswick, Canada, has a population of around 800,000 people, according to a 2022 estimate. This makes it the third least populous of Canada's provinces. The population is distributed across a land area of 72,908 square kilometres (28,150 square miles).

New Brunswick is atypical among Canadian provinces in that only about half of its population lives in urban areas, predominantly Moncton, Saint John, and Fredericton. The province's population is also unique in that it is bilingual, with around two-thirds of people speaking English as their first language, and one-third speaking French.

The population of New Brunswick has been increasing over time, with an estimated population of 750,517 in 2000, increasing to 775,610 in 2021, and further to 834,691 in 2023.

Population projections

New Brunswick, Canada, has seen a record-breaking population growth in recent years. In 2023, the province experienced its highest population growth since its confederation in 1867. This growth continued into 2024, with the population surpassing 800,000 in March.

The population of New Brunswick was estimated to be 761,214 in 2018, making it the eighth most populous province in Canada. This was an increase from 2016, when the population was recorded as 747,101. The population has been steadily growing since the 1850s, and this trend is expected to continue.

The growth in recent years has been fuelled entirely by newcomers. Between July 2021 and July 2023, New Brunswick welcomed over 33,000 arrivals from other countries, including almost 19,400 permanent immigrants, mainly from India, China, and the Philippines. In addition, the province had a net gain of 14,800 Canadians from other provinces, most of whom were from Ontario. This influx of newcomers has resulted in a "younger" population, filling gaps in the labour market and lowering the average age of New Brunswick's once rapidly ageing population.

The population growth has had both positive and negative impacts on the province. On the one hand, it has contributed to a budget surplus of $1.01 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, with increases in provincial income and sales taxes. It has also led to economic growth, with rising retail sales, record-high restaurant receipts, and increased construction activity. As a result, 28,000 full-time jobs have been added in the province in the last two years.

However, the rapid population growth has also put pressure on the housing market, leading to a shortage of available apartments and homes and causing prices to soar. This, in turn, has contributed to a rise in homelessness, with record numbers of people forced into homelessness due to long waiting lists for public housing. The growth has also strained the healthcare system, which was already facing challenges due to a lack of doctors and other healthcare specialists.

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