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Can We Keep Up?
Canada added 1.2 million people in 2023 while building enough homes for a third of them. Explore the gap between population growth and infrastructure capacity.
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Interactive Tool
Canada added 1.2 million people in 2023 while building enough homes for a third of them. Explore the gap between population growth and infrastructure capacity.
Each bubble is ~2,000 homes needed (red) or ~2,000 homes built (green). Drag the slider to see the gap grow.
308K new residents (+272K PRs, 760K temp) — 196K homes started
Canada reports permanent resident admissions. But the real number in the system is far larger.
For every reported immigrant, there are actually
3.8×
as many people in the system — 1.0M total vs. 272K permanent residents in 2015
Population growth outpaces physician training. For every new doctor, Canada adds hundreds of new residents — stretching a system already short 6.5 million patients.
For every new doctor, Canada admitted on average
489
new immigrants (2016–2024 average)
Immigrants admitted per new physician. Green = within OECD-sustainable ratio (286:1). Red = exceeding it.
2015
~272K PRs admitted — system working roughly in balance with housing supply
2021
Post-COVID surge: 405K PRs to clear backlog. Housing starts hit record 271K.
2022
IMP work permits doubled to 785K. Population grew 912K in one year.
2023
1.2M population growth — 3.2%, fastest in the G7. Over 1M international students.
2024
Study permit caps announced. TFW restrictions tightened. 17% without family doctor.
2025
Population actually declining for the first time. PR targets reduced to 395K.
Sources: IRCC Open Data, Statistics Canada Table 17-10-0009-01, CMHC Housing Starts, CIHI Physicians in Canada, Canadian Bureau for International Education. Population and housing data are official figures where available; some city-level figures are interpolated from census/quarterly estimates.