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March 18, 2026NOVA SCOTIA QUARTERLY POPULATION ESTIMATES AS OF JANUARY 1, 2026 
Nova Scotia's population was 1,090,074 as of January 1, 2026, a decline of 1,783 (-0.16%) from October 1, 2025.
From October 1 to December 31, 2025 natural population change continues to be negative as deaths (3,076) outnumber births (1,973). Natural population change has been negative for every quarter since 2016.
The number of immigrants (1,667) substantially outnumbered net emigrants (234) while the number of non-permanent residents leaving Nova Scotia (5,049) substantially exceeded the number entering the province (2,110), leading to a net reduction of 2.939 in Nova Scotia's non-permanent residents.
The number people moving into from Nova Scotia to another province or territory (2.865) exceeded the number of Nova Scotia moving away to another province (2.039), resulting in a net interprovincial inflow of 826 persons.
Nova Scotia's population decline of 1,783 (-0.16%) from October 1 to December 31, 2025 was the second consecutive quarterly decline. Nova Scotia last reported consecutive quarterly population declines on April 1, 2015.
From October 1 to December 31, 2025 Nova Scotia’s population contracted by 0.16%. All provinces reported declining populations except Alberta (Saskatchewan's decline was very slight).British Columbia had the fastest population decline among provinces.
Nova Scotia's population increased by 0.08% (887) from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025. Nationally, the population shrank by 0.25% over the last year, with growth in five provinces. Alberta and Prince Edward Island reported the fastest growth rates, while Ontario and British Columbia saw the fastest declines.
Nova Scotia's year-over-year population growth was slower than in any period since 2016.
From January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025, international sources added to the population as immigration (9,177) combined with non-permanent resident entries (13,298) offset net emigration (1,256) plus exit of non-permanent residents (20,114).
Natural change reduced Nova Scotia's population by 3,490 as deaths (11,518) exceeded births (8,028).
The number people moving into Nova Scotia from another province or territory (18,084) exceeded the number of Nova Scotians moving away to another province (14,812) by 3,272.
Nova Scotia’s natural population change (the number of births less the number of deaths) has been negative in every quarter since 2016. Between October 1 and December 31, 2025 there were 1,973 births and 3,076 deaths, amounting to a natural population decline of 1,103. The decline in the October-December period 2025 was somewhat larger than in the same periods of 2023 and 2024.
From January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025, there were 8,028 births, which were outnumbered by 11,518 deaths, resulting in a natural population decline of 3,490.
Immigration from other countries continued to be contribute to Nova Scotia's population growth. For the period October 1 to December 31, 2025 an additional 1,667 immigrants came to the province, the lowest rate for the same period since 2020. Over the past year (January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025) 9,177 immigrants have arrived in Nova Scotia.
From October 1 to December 31, 2,939 more non-permanent residents left Nova Scotia than the number that arrived. The number of non-permanent residents arriving in Nova Scotia was 2,110 while 5,049 non-permanent residents left the province.
In the period January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025 there was a net decrease of 6,816 non-permanent residents in Nova Scotia with 13,298 non-permanent resident entries and 20,114 non-permanent resident exits.
There has been a net decline in Nova Scotia's non-permanent residents for five consecutive quarters. This is the first occurrence of five consecutive quarters of non-permanent resident decline since the data series started in 1971.
A total of 2,865 new Nova Scotians arrived in the province from other parts of Canada between October 1 to December 31, 2025. This was the slowest pace of in-migration for the same period since 2020. From January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025, 18,084 interprovincial migrants arrived in Nova Scotia.
A total of 2,039 Nova Scotians left the province bound for other parts of Canada between October 1 and December 31, 2025 - a pace that has slowed since the same periods over 2021-2024. Over the past year (January 1 to December 31, 2025), Nova Scotia has seen 14,812 interprovincial outmigrants.
From October 1 to December 31, 2025 Nova Scotia's net interprovincial migration generated a net inflow of +826. From January 1 to December 31, 2025, Nova Scotia's net interprovincial migration was positive (+3,272). With slowing in-migration, Nova Scotia's net interprovincial migration flows have decelerated in the last two years.
For October 1 to December 31, 2025 Ontario continued to account for the largest number of in-migrants to Nova Scotia, however this pace slowed substantially from the pace observed in the same periods from the previous 4 years. There have been notable slow-downs for in-migration to Nova Scotia from Newfoundland and Labrador as well as Alberta and Saskatchewan, however these trends were reversed in the most recent data.
Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and New Brunswick were the largest destinations for those leaving Nova Scotia between October 1 and December 31 of 2025. Out-migration was down compared to the same quarter in the previous year for every province except Prince Edward Island and Ontario.
From October 1 to December 31, Nova Scotia's net interprovincial population gain reflected net inflows from every province and territory except Nunavut, with Ontario (+286) contributing the most to net interprovincial migration.
From January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025, the largest source of interprovincial in-migration was from Ontario (8,361), which was lower than in any of the previous four years. In-migration was slower from all provinces and territories except New Brunswick compared to the previous year.
From January 1 to December 31, 2025, the primary destinations for outmigration from Nova Scotia were Ontario, Alberta and New Brunswick. Compared to the previous year, Nova Scotia out-migration decreased for all of the provinces and territories except Prince Edward Island, Yukon and Nunavut.
Ontario contributed the most substantial positive net interprovincial migration from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025 (+1,900). There was also positive net interprovincial migration with: British Columbia (+440), Québec (+412), New Brunswick (+496), Newfoundland and Labrador (+234), Prince Edward Island (+141), Northwest Territory (5) and Manitoba (15). Alberta reported the largest net outmigration with Nova Scotia (-274) along with smaller net out-migrations to Nunavut (-79) and Yukon (-18). No net interprovincial migration was reported with Saskatchewan.
Non-permanent residents
The number of non-permanent residents in Nova Scotia was 53,144 as of January 1, 2026. This was down 2,939 from October 1, 2025 and down 7,519 from the peak population of non-permanent residents on October 1, 2024 (60,663). Non-permanent residents most often hold work permits (33,140), study permits (10,678), or both work and study permits (4,948). The largest declines in the last quarter were among those holding study permits and work permits.
Asylum claimants, both with and without study/work permits, were 1,285 as of January 1, 2026.
There were 3,093 other non-permanent residents who are typically family members living with permit holders or persons with temporary resident permits.
Non-permanent residents accounted for 4.9% of Nova Scotia's population as of January 1, 2026. Nationally, non-permanent residents make up 6.5% of the population with the highest shares in British Columbia (7.9%) and Ontario (7.4%) and lowest shares in Newfoundland and Labrador (3.1%) and Saskatchewan (3.6%).
For the period October 1 to December 31, 2025 the non-permanent resident population in Nova Scotia fell 5.2%. Nationally, the non-permanent resident population was down 6.0% with declines in all provinces. Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia reported the steepest declines in non-permanent residents. Saskatchewan and Alberta reported the slowest declines.
The non-permanent resident population in Nova Scotia fell 11.4% from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025. Nationally, the non-permanent resident population decreased 14.7% with declines in all provinces. Ontario (-17.9%) and Manitoba (-17.7%) reported the steepest year-over-year declines in non-permanent residents. Alberta (-8.7%) reported the least decline.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 17-10-0009-01 Population estimates, quarterly; Table 17-10-0059-01 Estimates of the components of natural increase, quarterly; Table 17-10-0020-01 Estimates of the components of interprovincial migration, quarterly; Table 17-10-0040-01 Estimates of the components of international migration, quarterly; Table 17-10-0045-01 Estimates of interprovincial migrants by province or territory of origin and destination, quarterly; Table 17-10-0121-01 Estimates of the number of non-permanent residents by type, quarterly
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