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A collection of four maps showing the distribution of population for 1851 (Newfoundland 1857), 1871 (Newfoundland 1869), 1901 and 1921 by historical region.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Johnson, George (Statistician), ed. (June 1893). "Chapter II - Population and Vital Statistics | Section - Census of 1891 | Population of Cities and Towns in Canada of 5,000 Inhabitants and Upwards, 1881 and 1891". The Statistical Year-Book of Canada for 1892 (PDF). Department of Agriculture (Report). Ottawa: King's Printer. p. 97. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2023-08-15. 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
Johnson, George (Statistician), ed. (April 1903). "Census | Population of Cities and Towns of 5,000 and above". The Statistical Year-Book of Canada for 1902 (PDF). Department of Agriculture (Report). Ottawa: King's Printer. pp. 87–88. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2023-08-15. 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.
Dominion Bureau of Statistics (1913-07-16). "Chapter III — Production | Section 5 - Manufacturers | Table 87 – Value of Products of Manufactures, 1890, 1900 and 1910 for Cities and Towns of 10,000 persons and over". The Canada Year Book 1912 (PDF) (Report). Ottawa: King's Printer. p. 90. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
^ Dominion Bureau of Statistics (1932). "Chapter IV — Population | Section 2 - Rural and Urban Population | Table 11 — Populations of Cities and Towns having over 5,000 Inhabitants in 1931, Compared with 1871-81-91-1901-11-31". The Canada Year Book 1932 (PDF) (Report). Ottawa: Queen's Printer. p. 103. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-09-19. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
^ Dominion Bureau of Statistics (1955). "Chapter III — Population | Section 6 — Population of Incorporated Urban Centres | Table 6 — Incorporated Cities with Populations of over 30,000 at the 1951 Census and Comparable Data for 1941". The Canada Year Book 1955 (PDF) (Report). Ottawa: Queen's Printer. p. 139. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
Dominion Bureau of Statistics (1958). "Chapter III — Population | Section 8 — Population of Incorporated Urban Centres | Table 7 — Incorporated Cities with Populations of over 30,000 at the 1956 Census and Comparable Data for 1951". Canada Year Book 1957–58 (PDF) (Report). Ottawa: Queen's Printer. p. 125. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
Dominion Bureau of Statistics (1967). "Chapter III — Population | Section 1 - Census of Population | Subsection 4 — Populations of Incorporated Cities, Towns and Villages and of Metropolitan Areas | Table 7 — Incorporated Cities with Populations of Over 50,000 at the 1961 Census, with Comparable Data for 1951 and 1956". Canada Year Book 1967 (PDF) (Report). Ottawa: Queen's Printer. p. 188. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
^ "Municipal Restructuring Activity Summary Table". Ontario: Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. 2015-01-24. pp. 2, 4, 5. Archived from the original on 2019-07-19. Retrieved 2023-08-10. 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)
Community Profiles: Census 2006 (Report). Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 2006.
