This is a list of the largest cities in Canada by census starting with the 1871 census of Canada, the first national census. Only communities that were incorporated as cities (defined by Statistics Canada as CY, as compared to larger census metropolitan areas (CMA) or census agglomerations (CA) around –and including –these CYs) at the time of each census are presented. Therefore, this list does not include any incorporated towns (T) that may have been larger than any incorporated cities at each census.
Rank | City | Province | Population [1] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 107,225 | Ranked #2 in 2024. [2] |
2 | Quebec City | Quebec | 59,699 | Ranked #11 in 2016. [2] |
3 | Toronto | Ontario | 56,092 | Ranked #1 in 2024. [2] |
4 | Halifax | Nova Scotia | 29,582 | Ranked #14 in 2016 as a regional municipality. [2] |
5 | Saint John | New Brunswick | 28,805 | Saint John was incorporated in 1785 to become Canada's first incorporated city. [3] Ranked #83 in 2016. [2] |
6 | Hamilton | Ontario | 26,716 | Ranked #10 in 2016. [2] |
7 | Ottawa | Ontario | 21,545 | Ranked #4 in 2016. [2] |
8 | London | Ontario | 15,826 | Ranked #15 in 2016. [2] |
9 | Portland | New Brunswick | 12,520 | Portland was a city until 1889, when it amalgamated with Saint John. [4] |
10 | Kingston | Ontario | 12,407 | Ranked #43 in 2016. [2] |
Rank | City | Province | Population [5] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 140,747 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 86,415 |
3 | Quebec City | Quebec | 62,446 |
4 | Halifax | Nova Scotia | 36,054 |
5 | Hamilton | Ontario | 35,961 |
6 | Ottawa | Ontario | 27,412 |
7 | Saint John | New Brunswick | 26,127 |
8 | London | Ontario | 19,746 |
9 | Portland | New Brunswick | 15,226 |
10 | Kingston | Ontario | 14,091 |
Winnipeg, Manitoba, becomes the first city in Western Canada to appear on the Top 10 list, cutting The Maritimes from three spots on the list –on both (all) of the previous censuses –to two.
Rank | City | Province | Population [6] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 216,650 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 181,220 |
3 | Quebec City | Quebec | 63,090 |
4 | Hamilton | Ontario | 48,980 |
5 | Ottawa | Ontario | 44,154 |
6 | Saint John | New Brunswick | 39,179 |
7 | Halifax | Nova Scotia | 38,556 |
8 | London | Ontario | 31,977 |
9 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 25,642 |
10 | Kingston | Ontario | 19,264 |
Vancouver, British Columbia, becomes the second city in Western Canada to appear on the Top 10 list, cutting Ontario from five spots on the list –on all three previous censuses –to four.
Rank | City | Province | Population [7] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 267,730 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 208,040 |
3 | Quebec City | Quebec | 68,840 |
4 | Ottawa | Ontario | 59,928 |
5 | Hamilton | Ontario | 52,634 |
6 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 42,340 |
7 | Halifax | Nova Scotia | 40,832 |
8 | Saint John | New Brunswick | 40,711 |
9 | London | Ontario | 37,981 |
10 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 26,133 |
Calgary, Alberta, becomes the third city in Western Canada to appear on the Top 10 list, cutting The Maritimes from two spots on the list –on the two most recent previous censuses –to one.
Rank | City | Province | Population [8] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 470,480 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 378,538 |
3 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 136,035 |
4 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 100,401 |
5 | Ottawa | Ontario | 87,701 |
6 | Hamilton | Ontario | 81,969 |
7 | Quebec City | Quebec | 78,710 |
8 | Halifax | Nova Scotia | 46,619 |
9 | London | Ontario | 46,300 |
10 | Calgary | Alberta | 43,704 |
Edmonton, Alberta, becomes the fourth city in Western Canada to appear on the Top 10 list, removing all cities in The Maritimes from the list for the first time as of this sixth national census; The Maritimes have never again placed a city in the Top 10 list. Western Canada's four most populous cities –Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg –have remained in the Top 10 since 1921, joined briefly in 2001 (only) by Surrey, British Columbia.
Rank | City | Province | Population [9] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 618,506 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 521,893 |
3 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 179,087 |
4 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 163,220 |
5 | Hamilton | Ontario | 114,151 |
6 | Ottawa | Ontario | 107,843 |
7 | Quebec City | Quebec | 95,193 |
8 | Calgary | Alberta | 63,305 |
9 | London | Ontario | 60,959 |
10 | Edmonton | Alberta | 58,821 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [9] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 818,517 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 631,207 |
3 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 246,593 |
4 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 218,784 |
5 | Hamilton | Ontario | 155,547 |
6 | Quebec City | Quebec | 130,594 |
7 | Ottawa | Ontario | 126,872 |
8 | Calgary | Alberta | 83,761 |
9 | Edmonton | Alberta | 79,197 |
10 | London | Ontario | 71,148 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [10] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 903,007 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 667,567 |
3 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 275,353 |
4 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 221,960 |
5 | Hamilton | Ontario | 166,337 |
6 | Ottawa | Ontario | 154,951 |
7 | Quebec City | Quebec | 150,757 |
8 | Windsor | Ontario | 105,311 |
9 | Edmonton | Alberta | 93,817 |
10 | Calgary | Alberta | 88,904 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [10] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,021,520 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 675,754 |
3 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 344,843 |
4 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 235,710 |
5 | Hamilton | Ontario | 208,321 |
6 | Ottawa | Ontario | 202,045 |
7 | Quebec City | Quebec | 164,016 |
8 | Edmonton | Alberta | 159,631 |
9 | Calgary | Alberta | 129,060 |
10 | Windsor | Ontario | 120,040 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [11] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,109,439 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 667,706 |
3 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 364,844 |
4 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 255,093 |
5 | Hamilton | Ontario | 239,625 |
6 | Edmonton | Alberta | 226,002 |
7 | Ottawa | Ontario | 222,129 |
8 | Calgary | Alberta | 181,780 |
9 | Quebec City | Quebec | 170,703 |
10 | Windsor | Ontario | 121,980 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [12] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,191,062 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 672,407 |
3 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 384,522 |
4 | Edmonton | Alberta | 281,022 |
5 | Hamilton | Ontario | 273,991 |
6 | Ottawa | Ontario | 268,206 |
7 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 265,429 |
8 | Calgary | Alberta | 249,632 |
9 | Quebec City | Quebec | 171,979 |
10 | London | Ontario | 169,569 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [13] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,225,255 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 664,584 |
3 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 410,375 |
4 | Edmonton | Alberta | 376,925 |
5 | Calgary | Alberta | 330,575 |
6 | Hamilton | Ontario | 298,121 |
7 | Ottawa | Ontario | 290,741 |
8 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 257,005 |
9 | Laval | Quebec | 196,088 |
10 | London | Ontario | 194,416 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [14] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,214,351 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 712,786 |
3 | Edmonton | Alberta | 438,152 |
4 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 426,256 |
5 | Calgary | Alberta | 403,319 |
6 | Hamilton | Ontario | 309,173 |
7 | Ottawa | Ontario | 302,241 |
8 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 246,246 |
9 | Laval | Quebec | 228,010 |
10 | London | Ontario | 223,222 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [15] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,080,546 | |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 633,318 | |
3 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 560,874 | Winnipeg's population more than doubled from 1971, in large part to amalgamation of its surrounding municipalities |
4 | Calgary | Alberta | 469,917 | |
5 | Edmonton | Alberta | 461,361 | |
6 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 410,188 | |
7 | Hamilton | Ontario | 312,003 | |
8 | Ottawa | Ontario | 304,462 | |
9 | Mississauga | Ontario | 250,017 | |
10 | Laval | Quebec | 246,243 |
After holding two spots on the Top 10 list in all 14 previous censuses, Quebec is reduced to one city on the list. It will briefly return to two positions, in 1996 (19th census) and 2006 (20th census).
Through the 1970s, while a number of Canadian cities suffered population losses, the three Canadian Prairies cities on the Top 10 list – Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg –saw significant growth: the two Alberta cities primarily through consistent net migration, with Winnipeg primarily boosted by amalgamation of its surrounding municipalities prior to the 1976 census.
Rank | City | Province | Population [16] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 980,354 |
2 | Toronto | Ontario | 599,217 |
3 | Calgary | Alberta | 592,743 |
4 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 564,473 |
5 | North York | Ontario | 559,521 |
6 | Edmonton | Alberta | 532,246 |
7 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 414,281 |
8 | Mississauga | Ontario | 315,056 |
9 | Hamilton | Ontario | 306,434 |
10 | Ottawa | Ontario | 295,033 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [17] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,015,420 |
2 | Calgary | Alberta | 636,104 |
3 | Toronto | Ontario | 612,289 |
4 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 594,551 |
5 | Edmonton | Alberta | 573,982 |
6 | North York | Ontario | 556,297 |
7 | Scarborough | Ontario | 484,676 |
8 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 431,147 |
9 | Mississauga | Ontario | 374,005 |
10 | Hamilton | Ontario | 306,728 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [18] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,017,666 |
2 | Calgary | Alberta | 710,677 |
3 | Toronto | Ontario | 635,395 |
4 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 616,790 |
5 | Edmonton | Alberta | 616,741 |
6 | North York | Ontario | 563,270 |
7 | Scarborough | Ontario | 524,598 |
8 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 471,844 |
9 | Mississauga | Ontario | 463,388 |
10 | Hamilton | Ontario | 318,499 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [19] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,016,376 |
2 | Calgary | Alberta | 768,082 |
3 | Toronto | Ontario | 653,734 |
4 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 618,477 |
5 | Edmonton | Alberta | 616,306 |
6 | North York | Ontario | 589,653 |
7 | Scarborough | Ontario | 558,960 |
8 | Mississauga | Ontario | 544,382 |
9 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 514,008 |
10 | Laval | Quebec | 330,393 |
Numerous amalgamations took place in Ontario during the 1990s and 2000s that affected city population figures.
A significant change is that, after holding the position of largest city in Canada on all 19 previous censuses, covering the first 129 years of the nation of Canada, Montreal drops to second place on the list, displaced by Toronto. These two cities have maintained the same top two positions on all subsequent censuses.
Rank | City | Province | Population [20] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Toronto | Ontario | 2,481,494 | Toronto amalgamated with five surrounding municipalities on January 1, 1998. [21] |
2 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,039,534 | |
3 | Calgary | Alberta | 879,003 | |
4 | Ottawa | Ontario | 774,072 | Ottawa amalgamated with 11 surrounding municipalities on January 1, 2001. [21] |
5 | Edmonton | Alberta | 666,104 | |
6 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 619,544 | |
7 | Mississauga | Ontario | 612,000 | |
8 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 545,671 | |
9 | Hamilton | Ontario | 490,268 | Hamilton amalgamated with six surrounding municipalities on January 1, 2001. [21] |
10 | Surrey | British Columbia | 347,825 |
A wave of amalgamations took place in Quebec since the previous census, affecting city population figures. In particular, in 2002, both Montreal and Quebec City combined with a number of smaller surrounding cities, though some later chose to leave the amalgamations.
Rank | City | Province | Population [22] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Toronto | Ontario | 2,503,281 |
2 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,620,693 |
3 | Calgary | Alberta | 988,193 |
4 | Ottawa | Ontario | 812,129 |
5 | Edmonton | Alberta | 730,372 |
6 | Mississauga | Ontario | 668,549 |
7 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 633,451 |
8 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 578,041 |
9 | Hamilton | Ontario | 504,559 |
10 | Quebec City | Quebec | 491,452 |
Rank | City | Province | Population |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Toronto | Ontario | 2,615,060 |
2 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,649,519 |
3 | Calgary | Alberta | 1,096,833 |
4 | Ottawa | Ontario | 883,391 |
5 | Edmonton | Alberta | 821,201 |
6 | Mississauga | Ontario | 713,443 |
7 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 663,617 |
8 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 603,502 |
9 | Brampton | Ontario | 523,911 |
10 | Hamilton | Ontario | 519,949 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [2] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Toronto | Ontario | 2,731,571 |
2 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,704,694 |
3 | Calgary | Alberta | 1,239,220 |
4 | Ottawa | Ontario | 934,243 |
5 | Edmonton | Alberta | 932,546 |
6 | Mississauga | Ontario | 721,599 |
7 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 705,244 |
8 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 631,486 |
9 | Brampton | Ontario | 593,638 |
10 | Hamilton | Ontario | 536,917 |
Rank | City | Province | Population [23] |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Toronto | Ontario | 2,745,000 |
2 | Montreal | Quebec | 1,762,949 |
3 | Calgary | Alberta | 1,306,784 |
4 | Ottawa | Ontario | 1,017,449 |
5 | Edmonton | Alberta | 1,010,899 |
6 | Winnipeg | Manitoba | 749,607 |
7 | Mississauga | Ontario | 717,961 |
8 | Vancouver | British Columbia | 662,248 |
9 | Brampton | Ontario | 656,480 |
10 | Hamilton | Ontario | 569,353 |
Leduc is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. It is 33 km (21 mi) south of the provincial capital of Edmonton and is part of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region.
Lloydminster is a city in Canada which has the unusual geographic distinction of straddling the provincial border between Alberta and Saskatchewan. The city is incorporated by both provinces as a single city with a single municipal administration.
Sylvan Lake is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is located approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of the City of Red Deer along Highway 11 or Highway 11A. It is on the southeast edge of Sylvan Lake, a 15-kilometre-long (9.3 mi) freshwater lake that straddles the boundary between Red Deer County and Lacombe County.
Drumheller is a town on the Red Deer River in the badlands of east-central Alberta, Canada. It is located 110 kilometres (68 mi) northeast of Calgary and 97 kilometres (60 mi) south of Stettler. The Drumheller portion of the Red Deer River valley, often referred to as Dinosaur Valley, has an approximate width of 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) and an approximate length of 28 kilometres (17 mi).
Cochrane is a town in the Calgary Metropolitan Region of Alberta, Canada. The town is located 18 km (11 mi) west of the Calgary city limits along Highway 1A. Cochrane is one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada, and with a population of 32,199 in 2021, it is one of the largest towns in Alberta. It is part of Calgary's census metropolitan area and a member community of the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB). The town is surrounded by Rocky View County.
Brooks is a city in southeast Alberta, Canada in the County of Newell. It is on Highway 1 and the Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway, approximately 186 km (116 mi) southeast of Calgary, and 110 km (68 mi) northwest of Medicine Hat. The city has an elevation of 760 m (2,490 ft).
Frank is an urban community in the Rocky Mountains within the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass in southwest Alberta, Canada. It was formerly incorporated as a village prior to 1979 when it amalgamated with four other municipalities to form Crowsnest Pass.
Stony Plain is a town in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region of Alberta, Canada that is surrounded by Parkland County. It is west of Edmonton adjacent to the City of Spruce Grove and sits on Treaty 6 land.
Strathmore is a town located in southern Alberta, Canada that is surrounded by Wheatland County. It is along the Trans-Canada Highway approximately 50 kilometres (30 mi) east of Calgary.
Lacombe is a city in central Alberta, Canada. It is located approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) north of Red Deer, the nearest major city, and 125 kilometres (78 mi) south of Edmonton, the nearest metropolitan area. The city is set in the rolling parkland of central Alberta, between the Rocky Mountains foothills to the west and the flatter Alberta prairie to the east.
Beaumont is a city adjacent to Leduc County within the Edmonton Metropolitan Region of Alberta, Canada. It is at the intersection of Highway 625 and Highway 814, adjacent to the City of Edmonton and 6.0 kilometres (3.7 mi) northeast of the City of Leduc. The Nisku Industrial Park and the Edmonton International Airport are 4.0 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the west and 8.0 kilometres (5.0 mi) to the southwest respectively.
High River is a town within the Calgary Metropolitan Region of Alberta, Canada. It is approximately 68 kilometres (42 mi) south of Calgary, at the junction of Alberta Highways 2 and 23. High River had a population of 14,324 in 2021.
Coleman is a community in the Rocky Mountains within the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass in southwest Alberta, Canada. It was formerly incorporated as a town prior to 1979 when it amalgamated with four other municipalities to form Crowsnest Pass.
Bellevue is an urban community perched 4,280 feet elevation in the Rocky Mountains within the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass in southwest Alberta, Canada. It was formerly incorporated as a village prior to 1979 when it amalgamated with four other municipalities to form Crowsnest Pass.
Blairmore is a community in the Rocky Mountains within the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass in southwest Alberta, Canada. It was formerly incorporated as a town prior to 1979 when it amalgamated with four other municipalities to form Crowsnest Pass. Blairmore is the principal commercial centre of Crowsnest Pass.
Langdon is a hamlet in southern Alberta, Canada under the jurisdiction of Rocky View County. It previously held village status between August 31, 1907, and January 1, 1946.
Jasper Place, originally named West Jasper Place, is a former town in Alberta, Canada now within the City of Edmonton. Prior to amalgamation with Edmonton, the town was bounded by 149 Street to the east, 118 Avenue to the north, 170 Street to the west and the North Saskatchewan River to the south. Its former municipal centre, which included its town hall, fire station and extant Butler Memorial Park, was located at Stony Plain Road and 157 Street. It was known as West Jasper Place from 1910 to 1950.
Beverly is a former urban municipality within the Edmonton Capital Region of Alberta, Canada. Beverly was incorporated as a village on March 22, 1913 and became the Town of Beverly on July 13, 1914. It later amalgamated with the City of Edmonton on December 30, 1961. The population of Beverly was 8,969 at the time of amalgamation.
According to the 2021 census, the City of Edmonton had a population of 1,010,899 residents, compared to 4,262,635 for all of Alberta, Canada. The total population of the Edmonton census metropolitan area (CMA) was 1,418,118, making it the sixth-largest CMA in Canada.
In the 2021 Census, the City of Calgary had a population of 1,306,784 residents, representing 30.7% of the 4,262,635 residents in all of Alberta, and 3.5% compared to a population of 36,991,981 in all of Canada. The total population of the Calgary census metropolitan area (CMA) was 1,481,806. Calgary is the largest city in Alberta, and the third-largest municipality and fifth-largest metropolitan area in Canada, as of 2021.
[note: each province and territory has its own table, giving Census 1871 and Census 1881 population, broken out by individual "Cities and Towns" and collective "Rural Population"]
[note: Do not use for 1881 data as...] The population in the 1881 column includes the same boundaries as in the 1891 column and consequently differs in these cases, where annexations have taken place since 1881, from the population as given by the Census of 1881
The following are the cities and towns of the Dominion of Canada having, according to the census of 1901, a population of 5,000 and upwards.
[note: table is ranked by the displayed population data of the cities]
[Note: do not use updated 1996 data from this 2001 table, as it uses adjusted figures due to boundary changes in Ontario done after 1996]
Approval Type: Fewer Municipal Politicians Act, 1999 (all 3 - was a yet unpassed "Bill" at time of Toronto amalgamation); City of Toronto Act, 1997 (Toronto); Direct Democracy Through Municipal Referendums Act, 2000 (Hamilton and Ottawa)