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December 17, 2025NOVA SCOTIA QUARTERLY POPULATION ESTIMATES AS OF OCTOBER 1, 2025 
Nova Scotia's population was 1,091,857 as of October 1, 2025, a decline of 1,388 (-0.13%) from July 1, 2025.
From July 1 to September 30, 2025 natural population change continues to be negative as deaths (2,851) outnumber births (2,137). Natural population change has been negative for every quarter since 2016.
The number of immigrants (2,450) substantially outnumbered net emigrants (451) while the number of non-permanent residents leaving Nova Scotia (7,815) substantially exceeded the number entering the province (4,701), leading to a net reduction of 3,114 in Nova Scotia's non-permanent residents.
The number people moving into from Nova Scotia to another province or territory (4,409) exceeded the number of Nova Scotia moving away to another province (3,968), resulting in a net interprovincial inflow of 441 persons.
Nova Scotia's population decline of 1,388 (-0.13%) from July 1 to September 30, 2025 was the first decline since the same period in 2020 (-14) and the first substantial decline since January 1 to March 31 of 2015.
From July 1 to September 30, 2025 Nova Scotia’s population contracted by 0.13%. All provinces reported declining populations except Alberta (Québec's decline was very slight). Ontario and British Columbia had the fastest population declines among provinces.
Nova Scotia's population increased by 0.33% (3,584) from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. Nationally, the population grew by 0.20% over the last year, with growth in all provinces except Ontario and British Columbia. Alberta and Prince Edward Island reported the fastest growth rates.
Nova Scotia's year-over-year population growth slower than in any period since 2016.
From October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, international sources added to the population as immigration (9,815) combined with non-permanent resident entries (14,132) offset net emigration (1,251) plus exit of non-permanent residents (18,712).
Natural change reduced Nova Scotia's population by 3,382 as deaths (11,375) exceeded births (7,993).
The number people moving into Nova Scotia from another province or territory (18,114) exceeded the number of Nova Scotia moving away to another province (15,132) by 2,982.
Nova Scotia’s natural population change (the number of births less the number of deaths) has been negative in every quarter since 2016. Between July 1 and September 30, 2025 there were 2,137 births and 2,851 deaths, amounting to a natural population decline of 714. The decline in the July-September period 2025 was somewhat larger than in the same periods of 2022, 2023 and 2024.
From October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, there were 7,993 births, which were outnumbered by 11,375 deaths, resulting in a natural population decline of 3,382.
Immigration from other countries continued to be contribute to Nova Scotia's population growth. For the period July 1 to September 30, 2025 an additional 2,450 immigrants came to the province, a deceleration from the same period in 2024. Over the past year (October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025) 9,815 immigrants have arrived in Nova Scotia.
From July 1 to September 30, 3,114 more non-permanent left Nova Scotia than the number that arrived. The number of non-permanent residents arriving in Nova Scotia was 4,701 while 7,815 non-permanent residents left the province.
In the period October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 there was a net decrease of 4,580 non-permanent residents in Nova Scotia with 14,132 non-permanent resident entries and 18,712 non-permanent resident exits.
There has been a net decline in Nova Scotia's non-permanent residents for four consecutive quarters. This is the first occurrence of four consecutive quarters of non-permanent resident decline since the data series started in 1971.
A total of 4,409 new Nova Scotians arrived in the province from other parts of Canada between July 1 to September 30, 2025. This was the slowest pace of in-migration for the same period since 2020. From October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, 18,114 interprovincial migrants arrived in Nova Scotia.
A total of 3,968 Nova Scotians left the province bound for other parts of Canada between July 1 and September 30, 2025 - a pace that has slowed since the same periods in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Over the past year (October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025), Nova Scotia has seen 15,132 interprovincial outmigrants.
From July 1 to September 30, 2025 Nova Scotia's net interprovincial migration generated a net inflow of +441. From October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, Nova Scotia's net interprovincial migration was positive (+2,982). With slowing in-migration, Nova Scotia's net interprovincial migration flows have decelerated in the last two years.
For July 1 to September 30, 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.
Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and New Brunswick were the largest destinations for those leaving Nova Scotia between July 1 and September 30 of 2025. Out-migration was down compared to the same quarter in the previous year for Newfoundland and Labrador, Québec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. There were increases in out-migration to Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick (marginal), Ontario, British Columbia and all three territories.
From July 1 to September 30, Nova Scotia's net interprovincial population gain reflected net inflows from Québec (+235), British Columbia (+214), New Brunswick (+168), Ontario (+101), Prince Edward Island (+69), Manitoba (+36) and Saskatchewan (+20). There were net outflow to Alberta (-336), Newfoundland and Labrador (-20) and all three territories (-46 in total).
From October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, the largest source of interprovincial in-migration was from Ontario (8,693), which was lower than in any of the previous five years. In-migration was slower from all provinces and territories compared to the previous year.
From October 1, 2024 to September 30, 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 Yukon and Nunavut.
Ontario contributed the most substantial positive net interprovincial migration from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025 (+2,266). There was also positive net interprovincial migration with: British Columbia (+413), Québec (+349), New Brunswick (+377), Newfoundland and Labrador +161) and Prince Edward Island (+100). Alberta reported the largest net outmigration with Nova Scotia (-517) along with smaller net out-migrations to Saskatchewan (-46), Manitoba (-13) and all three territories (-108 in total).
Non-permanent residents
The number of non-permanent residents in Nova Scotia was 56,083 as of October 1, 2025. This was down 3,114 from July 1, 2025 and down 4,580 from the peak population of non-permanent residents on October 1, 2024 (60,663). Non-permanent residents most often hold work permits (35,055), study permits (11,209), or both work and study permits (5,396). The largest declines in the last quarter were among those holding study permits and work and study permits.
Asylum claimants, both with and without study/work permits, were 1,163 as of October 1, 2025.
There were 3,260 other non-permanent residents who are typically family members living with permit holders or persons with temporary resident permits.
Non-permanent residents accounted for 5.1% of Nova Scotia's population as of October 1, 2025. Nationally, non-permanent residents make up 6.8% of the population with the highest shares in British Columbia (8.4%) and Ontario (7.9%) and lowest shares in Newfoundland and Labrador (3.4%) and Saskatchewan (3.8%).
For the period July 1 to September 30, 2025 the non-permanent resident population in Nova Scotia fell 5.3%. Nationally, the non-permanent resident population was down 5.8% with declines in all provinces. Ontario, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island reported the steepest declines in non-permanent residents. Newfoundland and Labrador reported the least decline.
The non-permanent resident population in Nova Scotia fell 7.5% from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. Nationally, the non-permanent resident population decreased 9.6% with declines in all provinces. Prince Edward Island (-14.2%) and Ontario (-13.1%) reported the steepest year-over-year declines in non-permanent residents. Alberta (-2.2%) 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