By Canadian Press

One in 10 Canadians lived in smaller urban centres in 2021: StatCan

Feb 9, 2022 | 6:57 AM

One in 10 Canadians are calling smaller urban centres their home, according to the 2021 Census from Statistics Canada.

Last year, 3.8 million people, or 10.1 per cent of Canadians, lived in smaller urban areas ranging from about 10,000 to 100,000 people, otherwise known as census agglomerations.

Squamish, B.C., grew the fastest at a rate of 21.8 per cent, or 24,232 more people, between 2016 and 2021.

The population in Kamloops grew from 90,280 in 2016 to to 97,902 in 2021, an 8.4 per cent growth.

Meanwhile, four of the 10 fastest growing smaller urban centres were in Ontario — Wasaga Beach, Tillsonburg, Collingwood and Woodstock.

Question of the Week

Do you think Canada should respond to U.S. tariffs with retaliatory tariffs of our own?

21h ago

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Slava Ukraini, Oh Canada!

23h ago

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: The Opportunity of U.S. Tariffs

Mar 03, 2025

Several are known as tourist destinations or resort cities. While they are close to nature, they are not among the most remote communities and are generally less than a one-hour drive from a large urban centre.

Statistics Canada says the combination of outdoor facilities and location may have attracted people from larger metropolitan areas, such as young retirees or those able to work from home.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 9, 2022.

———

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.

The Canadian Press