Overview
- In nine of ten Statistics Canada scenarios, Alberta’s population surpasses British Columbia’s by 2050, with Alberta projected between 6.5 and 8.1 million and B.C. between 5.8 and 7.5 million.
- A Statistics Canada demographer said the crossover could occur as early as 2038 if current trends persist, noting that shifts in immigration policy could alter the timing.
- The projections use 2025 as the base year and run to 2050 for provinces, while national estimates extend to 2075, placing Canada’s population between 44.0 million and 75.8 million by then.
- Analysts attribute Alberta’s trajectory to strong interprovincial inflows and natural increase, producing a younger workforce compared with B.C.’s older population profile.
- Industry and economists warn that sustained growth will strain land supply, housing, schools and municipal infrastructure, citing recent approval delays in Calgary as a cautionary example.