List of census metropolitan areas and agglomerations in Canada

Census metropolitan areas (CMAs) and census agglomerations (CAs) are geographic units defined by Statistics Canada to encompass an urban core and environs. This list is arranged by population, using data from the 2021 and 2016 Canadian censuses.<ref name=2016census>Template:Cite web</ref>

A city's metropolitan area in colloquial or administrative terms may be different from its CMA as defined by Statistics Canada, resulting in differing populations. Such is the case with the Greater Toronto Area, where its metro population is notably higher than its CMA population due to its inclusion of the neighbouring Oshawa CMA to the east and the Burlington portion of the neighbouring Hamilton CMA to the west.<ref name=CHASS>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2021, 27,465,137 people (71.9% of Canada's population) lived in a CMA, while 4,596,279 (12.0%) lived in a CA.Template:Cn

Recent growth

Between 2016 and 2021, the five CMAs with the highest percentage growth were located in British Columbia and Southern Ontario. The five CMAs with the lowest percentage growth were in Quebec, Alberta, Northern Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador. There were no CMAs for which negative growth was recorded in the 2021 census. The five CAs that grew the fastest were in British Columbia, Southern Ontario, and Alberta, while the five CAs whose population declined the most were in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Northern British Columbia, Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Between 2011 and 2016, the six fastest-growing CMAs by percentage growth were located in Western Canada, with Alberta's two CMAs, Calgary and Edmonton, leading the country. Saskatoon, Regina, and Lethbridge rounded out the top five in the country and each grew by at least 10%. Of the remaining 30 CMAs, population growth was recorded in all but two of them. Those that experienced population decline were Brantford and Saint John.<ref name="2011census">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="CanadianPopulation">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ten of the fifteen fastest-growing CAs in Canada between the two most recent censuses were located in Alberta. The other five were located in British Columbia with two, and Manitoba, Ontario and Yukon each with one.

Between 2006 and 2011, twenty-four CAs experienced population decline. The fifteen CAs that experienced the greatest population decline were located in British Columbia (two), Manitoba (one), New Brunswick (one), Nova Scotia (three), Ontario (four) and Quebec (four). Okotoks experienced the greatest increase while Thompson experienced the greatest decline.<ref name=2011census/><ref name=CanadianPopulation/>

List

Template:See Canada had 41 CMAs and 111 CAs at the 2021 census.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The number of CMAs increased from 35 in 2016 with the promotion of the Nanaimo, Kamloops, Chilliwack, Fredericton, Drummondville and Red Deer CAs.<ref name=2021NewCMAs>Template:Cite web</ref> Overall, between promotion to CMA, absorption, and dissolution, the number of CAs decreased by seven. Amos was reinstated as a CA and Ladysmith, Trail and Essa were added as new CAs. The Carleton Place and Arnprior CAs were dissolved as they were added to the Ottawa–Gatineau CMA, the Leamington CA was dissolved as it was added to the Windsor CMA, and the Cold Lake and Bay Roberts CAs were dissolved as their urban population decreased below 10,000. 2016 rankings in the chart below are based on 2021 boundaries and exclude the five CAs dissolved in 2021 but include the four new/reinstated CAs.

Canada had 35 CMAs and 117 CAs at the 2016 census. The number of CMAs increased from 33 in 2011 with the promotion of the Belleville and Lethbridge CAs.<ref name="SGC2016CMA">Template:Cite web</ref> The number of CAs increased from 113 through the creation of eight new CAs – Arnprior, Carleton Place, Gander, Nelson, Sainte-Marie, Wasaga Beach, Weyburn and Winkler – the demotion of two CAs – Amos and Temiskaming Shores – and the promotion of Belleville and Lethbridge to CMAs.<ref name="SGC2016CMA" />

• 
  Toronto (6,202,225)
• 
  Montreal (4,291,732)
• 
  Vancouver (2,642,825)
• 
  Ottawa–Gatineau (1,488,307)
• 
  Calgary (1,481,806)
• 
  Edmonton (1,418,118)

Rank (2021)	Rank (2016)	Geographic name	Province	Type	Population		Template:Abbr	Land area (km2)<ref name="2021 Census"/>	Template:Abbr density (/km2)
					(2021)<ref name="2021 Census">Template:Cite web</ref>	(2016)<ref name="2021 Census"/>
1	1	Toronto	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	5902.75	Template:Pop density
2	2	Montreal	Quebec	CMA	Template:Change	4670.10	Template:Pop density
3	3	Vancouver	British Columbia	CMA	Template:Change	2878.93	Template:Pop density
4	5	Ottawa–Gatineau	Ontario/Quebec	CMA	Template:Change	8046.99	Template:Pop density
5	4	Calgary	Alberta	CMA	Template:Change	5098.68	Template:Pop density
6	6	Edmonton	Alberta	CMA	Template:Change	9416.19	Template:Pop density
7	7	Quebec City	Quebec	CMA	Template:Change	3499.46	Template:Pop density
8	8	Winnipeg	Manitoba	CMA	Template:Change	5285.46	Template:Pop density
9	9	Hamilton	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	1373.15	Template:Pop density
10	10	Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	1092.33	Template:Pop density
11	11	London	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	2661.48	Template:Pop density
12	12	Halifax	Nova Scotia	CMA	Template:Change	7276.22	Template:Pop density
13	13	St. Catharines–Niagara	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	1397.09	Template:Pop density
14	14	Windsor	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	1803.17	Template:Pop density
15	15	Oshawa	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	903.25	Template:Pop density
16	16	Victoria	British Columbia	CMA	Template:Change	695.29	Template:Pop density
17	17	Saskatoon	Saskatchewan	CMA	Template:Change	5864.48	Template:Pop density
18	18	Regina	Saskatchewan	CMA	Template:Change	4323.66	Template:Pop density
19	19	Sherbrooke	Quebec	CMA	Template:Change	1458.10	Template:Pop density
20	22	Kelowna	British Columbia	CMA	Template:Change	2902.45	Template:Pop density
21	21	Barrie	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	897.26	Template:Pop density
22	20	St. John's	Newfoundland and Labrador	CMA	Template:Change	931.56	Template:Pop density
23	23	Abbotsford–Mission	British Columbia	CMA	Template:Change	606.72	Template:Pop density
24	26	Kingston	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	1919.17	Template:Pop density
25	24	Greater Sudbury	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	4187.40	Template:Pop density
26	28	Guelph	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	595.08	Template:Pop density
27	25	Saguenay	Quebec	CMA	Template:Change	3133.53	Template:Pop density
28	27	Trois-Rivières	Quebec	CMA	Template:Change	1038.64	Template:Pop density
29	29	Moncton	New Brunswick	CMA	Template:Change	2562.47	Template:Pop density
30	30	Brantford	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	1074.00	Template:Pop density
31	31	Saint John	New Brunswick	CMA	Template:Change	3505.66	Template:Pop density
32	32	Peterborough	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	1508.44	Template:Pop density
33	34	Lethbridge	Alberta	CMA	Template:Change	2958.96	Template:Pop density
34	33	Thunder Bay	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	2550.79	Template:Pop density
35	35	Nanaimo	British Columbia	CMA	Template:Change	1279.28	Template:Pop density
36	36	Kamloops	British Columbia	CMA	Template:Change	5654.08	Template:Pop density
37	40	Chilliwack	British Columbia	CMA	Template:Change	1444.02	Template:Pop density
38	37	Belleville–Quinte West	Ontario	CMA	Template:Change	1337.50	Template:Pop density
39	38	Fredericton	New Brunswick	CMA	Template:Change	6014.66	Template:Pop density
40	39	Chatham-Kent	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	2464.52	Template:Pop density
41	43	Drummondville	Quebec	CMA	Template:Change	1094.36	Template:Pop density
42	41	Red Deer	Alberta	CMA	Template:Change	104.34	Template:Pop density
43	42	Cape Breton	Nova Scotia	CA	Template:Change	2457.21	Template:Pop density
44	44	Sarnia	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	1117.20	Template:Pop density
45	46	Granby	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	494.10	Template:Pop density
46	45	Prince George	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	17650.99	Template:Pop density
47	49	Kawartha Lakes	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	3033.66	Template:Pop density
48	51	Charlottetown	Prince Edward Island	CA	Template:Change	1112.43	Template:Pop density
49	47	Sault Ste. Marie	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	802.58	Template:Pop density
50	48	Medicine Hat	Alberta	CA	Template:Change	13106.11	Template:Pop density
51	50	Wood Buffalo	Alberta	CA	Template:Change	60957.21	Template:Pop density
52	52	North Bay	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	5314.85	Template:Pop density
53	53	Norfolk	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	1597.68	Template:Pop density
54	55	Vernon	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	1041.09	Template:Pop density
55	54	Grande Prairie	Alberta	CA	Template:Change	132.71	Template:Pop density
56	58	Courtenay	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	624.33	Template:Pop density
57	56	Cornwall	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	509.21	Template:Pop density
58	57	Saint-Hyacinthe	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	259.38	Template:Pop density
59	60	Brandon	Manitoba	CA	Template:Change	1232.81	Template:Pop density
60	59	Rimouski	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	772.93	Template:Pop density
61	61	Victoriaville	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	378.10	Template:Pop density
62	62	Joliette	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	108.66	Template:Pop density
63	63	Shawinigan	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	729.98	Template:Pop density
64	65	Duncan	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	373.22	Template:Pop density
65	67	Penticton	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	1734.72	Template:Pop density
66	71	Woodstock	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	56.46	Template:Pop density
67	64	Truro	Nova Scotia	CA	Template:Change	2732.53	Template:Pop density
68	66	Prince Albert	Saskatchewan	CA	Template:Change	2537.68	Template:Pop density
69	72	Salaberry-de-Valleyfield	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	108.56	Template:Pop density
70	68	Rouyn-Noranda	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	5963.57	Template:Pop density
71	70	Sorel-Tracy	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	170.31	Template:Pop density
72	69	Timmins	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	2955.33	Template:Pop density
73	73	Campbell River	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	1734.05	Template:Pop density
74	74	Lloydminster	Alberta/Saskatchewan	CA	Template:Change	1984.24	Template:Pop density
75	75	Moose Jaw	Saskatchewan	CA	Template:Change	843.44	Template:Pop density
76	77	Saint-Georges	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	365.21	Template:Pop density
77	76	New Glasgow	Nova Scotia	CA	Template:Change	2066.47	Template:Pop density
78	78	Val-d'Or	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	3539.98	Template:Pop density
79	82	Orillia	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	28.53	Template:Pop density
80	80	Stratford	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	30.02	Template:Pop density
81	79	Owen Sound	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	624.18	Template:Pop density
82	86	Winkler	Manitoba	CA	Template:Change	872.19	Template:Pop density
83	92	Whitehorse	Yukon	CA	Template:Change	8465.21	Template:Pop density
84	81	Brockville	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	576.87	Template:Pop density
85	83	Bathurst	New Brunswick	CA	Template:Change	2100.05	Template:Pop density
86	93	Centre Wellington	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	409.41	Template:Pop density
87	88	Parksville	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	81.81	Template:Pop density
88	87	Okotoks	Alberta	CA	Template:Change	38.55	Template:Pop density
89	85	Alma	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	194.92	Template:Pop density
90	89	Rivière-du-Loup	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	543.02	Template:Pop density
91	84	Corner Brook	Newfoundland and Labrador	CA	Template:Change	1122.58	Template:Pop density
92	91	Fort St. John	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	617.73	Template:Pop density
93	95	Thetford Mines	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	405.92	Template:Pop density
94	99	Midland	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	60.75	Template:Pop density
95	90	Sept-Îles	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	1750.44	Template:Pop density
96	96	Miramichi	New Brunswick	CA	Template:Change	7564.06	Template:Pop density
97	98	Cranbrook	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	4563.87	Template:Pop density
98	97	Kentville	Nova Scotia	CA	Template:Change	607.05	Template:Pop density
99	94	Baie-Comeau	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	682.89	Template:Pop density
100	100	Port Alberni	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	1633.13	Template:Pop density
101	107	Wasaga Beach	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	57.42	Template:Pop density
102	105	Collingwood	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	33.15	Template:Pop density
103	110	Squamish	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	105.43	Template:Pop density
104	101	Pembroke	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	553.40	Template:Pop density
105	103	Williams Lake	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	12422.14	Template:Pop density
106	102	Quesnel	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	21708.62	Template:Pop density
107	106	Essa	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	279.92	Template:Pop density
108	104	Edmundston	New Brunswick	CA	Template:Change	1582.36	Template:Pop density
109	112	Cobourg	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	22.41	Template:Pop density
110	111	Yellowknife	Northwest Territories	CA	Template:Change	103.37	Template:Pop density
111	120	Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	210.96	Template:Pop density
112	109	Yorkton	Saskatchewan	CA	Template:Change	1623.32	Template:Pop density
113	121	Salmon Arm	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	165.42	Template:Pop density
114	113	Terrace	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	9721.84	Template:Pop density
115	108	North Battleford	Saskatchewan	CA	Template:Change	1118.54	Template:Pop density
116	119	Nelson	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	1224.30	Template:Pop density
117	116	Amos	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	2298.16	Template:Pop density
118	117	Camrose	Alberta	CA	Template:Change	41.67	Template:Pop density
119	118	Swift Current	Saskatchewan	CA	Template:Change	1129.78	Template:Pop density
120	127	Tillsonburg	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	22.20	Template:Pop density
121	114	Matane	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	865.87	Template:Pop density
122	122	Petawawa	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	164.70	Template:Pop density
123	123	Summerside	Prince Edward Island	CA	Template:Change	125.12	Template:Pop density
124	115	Dawson Creek	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	11716.80	Template:Pop density
125	124	Powell River	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	799.80	Template:Pop density
126	126	Steinbach	Manitoba	CA	Template:Change	37.56	Template:Pop density
127	125	Port Hope	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	278.80	Template:Pop density
128	129	Sylvan Lake	Alberta	CA	Template:Change	24.25	Template:Pop density
129	136	Canmore	Alberta	CA	Template:Change	68.47	Template:Pop density
130	132	Ladysmith	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	412.01	Template:Pop density
131	128	Dolbeau-Mistassini	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	647.75	Template:Pop density
132	139	Cowansville	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	46.87	Template:Pop density
133	130	Kenora	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	211.65	Template:Pop density
134	133	Brooks	Alberta	CA	Template:Change	18.21	Template:Pop density
135	137	Strathmore	Alberta	CA	Template:Change	26.98	Template:Pop density
136	141	High River	Alberta	CA	Template:Change	22.19	Template:Pop density
137	134	Trail	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	279.13	Template:Pop density
138	147	Lachute	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	108.66	Template:Pop density
139	135	Grand Falls-Windsor	Newfoundland and Labrador	CA	Template:Change	54.84	Template:Pop density
140	148	Ingersoll	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	12.73	Template:Pop density
141	143	Prince Rupert	British Columbia	CA	Template:Change	3303.63	Template:Pop density
142	145	Gander	Newfoundland and Labrador	CA	Template:Change	2412.67	Template:Pop density
143	146	Lacombe	Alberta	CA	Template:Change	20.59	Template:Pop density
144	131	Campbellton	New Brunswick	CA	Template:Change	1525.45	Template:Pop density
145	144	Portage la Prairie	Manitoba	CA	Template:Change	24.72	Template:Pop density
146	142	Sainte-Marie	Quebec	CA	Template:Change	107.55	Template:Pop density
147	138	Thompson	Manitoba	CA	Template:Change	16.62	Template:Pop density
148	140	Estevan	Saskatchewan	CA	Template:Change	793.36	Template:Pop density
149	149	Wetaskiwin	Alberta	CA	Template:Change	18.75	Template:Pop density
150	150	Weyburn	Saskatchewan	CA	Template:Change	828.28	Template:Pop density
151	151	Hawkesbury	Ontario/Quebec	CA	Template:Change	12.91	Template:Pop density
152	152	Elliot Lake	Ontario	CA	Template:Change	696.06	Template:Pop density

See also

• List of Canadian census agglomerations by province or territory
• List of census agglomerations in Canada
• List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population
• List of the largest population centres in Canada
• Population of Canada by year

External links

• Population estimates of census metropolitan areas, Statistics Canada