Population Growth and Density of Ottawa-Gatineau

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by SidetrackedSue

I've always thought Pineview Golf course formed part of the Greenbelt.

I believe it is, but a golf course has little to now environmental value (if anything, it hurts the environment by needing constant care), so it's not an essential asset of the Greenbelt. It is definitely one area of the Greenbelt that could be redeveloped with minimal environmental impact.

We could, at the very lest, redevelop 500 meters along Blair and Innes, while preserving a protective corridor along Green's Creek.

[Harley613]

I'd love to see the golf course redeveloped into a medium density mixed use community like Greystone Village. It's right across the highway from the LRT, so it would be a good spot for something like that even though it's not in the core.

[sgera]

Based on latest stats canada labour and population estimates for Ottawa-Gatineau CMA.. seems like the NCR continues to grow at a fast past of 2% a year adding 30k-40k new residents annually despite immigration limit slow down. Further, it looks as though the worst of the job losses are past and we are back on growth mode (after six months of losses, four consecutive growth months).

### **Updated Month-over-Month (MoM) Statistics**
| Month | Total Population (000s) | Pop MoM % | Employment (000s) | Emp MoM % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feb 2025** | 1,691.9 | — | 894.6 | — |
| **Mar 2025** | 1,695.0 | +0.18\% | 897.0 | +0.27\% |
| **Apr 2025** | 1,698.0 | +0.18\% | 894.2 | -0.31\% |
| **May 2025** | 1,700.9 | +0.17\% | 890.4 | -0.42\% |
| **Jun 2025** | 1,704.1 | +0.19\% | 882.3 | -0.91\% |
| **Jul 2025** | **1,707.0** | +0.17\% | 880.4 | -0.22\% |
| **Aug 2025** | 1,709.9 | +0.17\% | 874.5 | -0.67\% |
| **Sep 2025** | 1,712.8 | +0.16\% | 866.2 | -0.95\% |
| **Oct 2025** | 1,715.2 | +0.14\% | 860.5 | -0.66\% |
| **Nov 2025** | 1,717.7 | +0.14\% | 856.7 | -0.44\% |
| **Dec 2025** | 1,719.9 | +0.13\% | 862.7 | +0.70\% |
| **Jan 2026** | 1,722.4 | +0.15\% | 864.6 | +0.22\% |
| **Feb 2026** | 1,725.5 | +0.18\% | 870.9 | +0.73\% |
| **Mar 2026** | 1,728.9 | +0.20\% | 876.2 | +0.61%

[ponyboycurtis]

Originally Posted by sgera

Based on latest stats canada labour and population estimates for Ottawa-Gatineau CMA.. seems like the NCR continues to grow at a fast past of 2% a year adding 30k-40k new residents annually despite immigration limit slow down. Further, it looks as though the worst of the job losses are past and we are back on growth mode (after six months of losses, four consecutive growth months).

### **Updated Month-over-Month (MoM) Statistics**
| Month | Total Population (000s) | Pop MoM % | Employment (000s) | Emp MoM % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feb 2025** | 1,691.9 | — | 894.6 | — |
| **Mar 2025** | 1,695.0 | +0.18\% | 897.0 | +0.27\% |
| **Apr 2025** | 1,698.0 | +0.18\% | 894.2 | -0.31\% |
| **May 2025** | 1,700.9 | +0.17\% | 890.4 | -0.42\% |
| **Jun 2025** | 1,704.1 | +0.19\% | 882.3 | -0.91\% |
| **Jul 2025** | **1,707.0** | +0.17\% | 880.4 | -0.22\% |
| **Aug 2025** | 1,709.9 | +0.17\% | 874.5 | -0.67\% |
| **Sep 2025** | 1,712.8 | +0.16\% | 866.2 | -0.95\% |
| **Oct 2025** | 1,715.2 | +0.14\% | 860.5 | -0.66\% |
| **Nov 2025** | 1,717.7 | +0.14\% | 856.7 | -0.44\% |
| **Dec 2025** | 1,719.9 | +0.13\% | 862.7 | +0.70\% |
| **Jan 2026** | 1,722.4 | +0.15\% | 864.6 | +0.22\% |
| **Feb 2026** | 1,725.5 | +0.18\% | 870.9 | +0.73\% |
| **Mar 2026** | 1,728.9 | +0.20\% | 876.2 | +0.61%

30/40k a year is kind of wild when you think Ottawa isn't really that big of a city. Thats like half a Belleville a year. Lets keep seeing those cranes and multi unit developments popping up.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by sgera

Based on latest stats canada labour and population estimates for Ottawa-Gatineau CMA.. seems like the NCR continues to grow at a fast past of 2% a year adding 30k-40k new residents annually despite immigration limit slow down. Further, it looks as though the worst of the job losses are past and we are back on growth mode (after six months of losses, four consecutive growth months).

### **Updated Month-over-Month (MoM) Statistics**
| Month | Total Population (000s) | Pop MoM % | Employment (000s) | Emp MoM % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feb 2025** | 1,691.9 | — | 894.6 | — |
| **Mar 2025** | 1,695.0 | +0.18\% | 897.0 | +0.27\% |
| **Apr 2025** | 1,698.0 | +0.18\% | 894.2 | -0.31\% |
| **May 2025** | 1,700.9 | +0.17\% | 890.4 | -0.42\% |
| **Jun 2025** | 1,704.1 | +0.19\% | 882.3 | -0.91\% |
| **Jul 2025** | **1,707.0** | +0.17\% | 880.4 | -0.22\% |
| **Aug 2025** | 1,709.9 | +0.17\% | 874.5 | -0.67\% |
| **Sep 2025** | 1,712.8 | +0.16\% | 866.2 | -0.95\% |
| **Oct 2025** | 1,715.2 | +0.14\% | 860.5 | -0.66\% |
| **Nov 2025** | 1,717.7 | +0.14\% | 856.7 | -0.44\% |
| **Dec 2025** | 1,719.9 | +0.13\% | 862.7 | +0.70\% |
| **Jan 2026** | 1,722.4 | +0.15\% | 864.6 | +0.22\% |
| **Feb 2026** | 1,725.5 | +0.18\% | 870.9 | +0.73\% |
| **Mar 2026** | 1,728.9 | +0.20\% | 876.2 | +0.61%

NCR is now over 1.7 million. That's quite something.

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

30/40k a year is kind of wild when you think Ottawa isn't really that big of a city. Thats like half a Belleville a year. Lets keep seeing those cranes and multi unit developments popping up.

I'm expecting a slow down now that immigration has been all but halted.

[Rhb]

Originally Posted by sgera

Based on latest stats canada labour and population estimates for Ottawa-Gatineau CMA.. seems like the NCR continues to grow at a fast past of 2% a year adding 30k-40k new residents annually despite immigration limit slow down. Further, it looks as though the worst of the job losses are past and we are back on growth mode (after six months of losses, four consecutive growth months).

### **Updated Month-over-Month (MoM) Statistics**
| Month | Total Population (000s) | Pop MoM % | Employment (000s) | Emp MoM % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feb 2025** | 1,691.9 | — | 894.6 | — |
| **Mar 2025** | 1,695.0 | +0.18\% | 897.0 | +0.27\% |
| **Apr 2025** | 1,698.0 | +0.18\% | 894.2 | -0.31\% |
| **May 2025** | 1,700.9 | +0.17\% | 890.4 | -0.42\% |
| **Jun 2025** | 1,704.1 | +0.19\% | 882.3 | -0.91\% |
| **Jul 2025** | **1,707.0** | +0.17\% | 880.4 | -0.22\% |
| **Aug 2025** | 1,709.9 | +0.17\% | 874.5 | -0.67\% |
| **Sep 2025** | 1,712.8 | +0.16\% | 866.2 | -0.95\% |
| **Oct 2025** | 1,715.2 | +0.14\% | 860.5 | -0.66\% |
| **Nov 2025** | 1,717.7 | +0.14\% | 856.7 | -0.44\% |
| **Dec 2025** | 1,719.9 | +0.13\% | 862.7 | +0.70\% |
| **Jan 2026** | 1,722.4 | +0.15\% | 864.6 | +0.22\% |
| **Feb 2026** | 1,725.5 | +0.18\% | 870.9 | +0.73\% |
| **Mar 2026** | 1,728.9 | +0.20\% | 876.2 | +0.61%

Nice work.

One thing that has changed considerably is immigration to Ottawa CMA before COVID and after.
Before Covid in 2015 Ottawa received about 2% of immigrants. We presently are taking in about 7%.

https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/f7e5498e-0ad8-4417-85c9-9b8aff9b9eda

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by sgera

Based on latest stats canada labour and population estimates for Ottawa-Gatineau CMA.. seems like the NCR continues to grow at a fast past of 2% a year adding 30k-40k new residents annually despite immigration limit slow down. Further, it looks as though the worst of the job losses are past and we are back on growth mode (after six months of losses, four consecutive growth months).

### **Updated Month-over-Month (MoM) Statistics**
| Month | Total Population (000s) | Pop MoM % | Employment (000s) | Emp MoM % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feb 2025** | 1,691.9 | — | 894.6 | — |
| **Mar 2025** | 1,695.0 | +0.18\% | 897.0 | +0.27\% |
| **Apr 2025** | 1,698.0 | +0.18\% | 894.2 | -0.31\% |
| **May 2025** | 1,700.9 | +0.17\% | 890.4 | -0.42\% |
| **Jun 2025** | 1,704.1 | +0.19\% | 882.3 | -0.91\% |
| **Jul 2025** | **1,707.0** | +0.17\% | 880.4 | -0.22\% |
| **Aug 2025** | 1,709.9 | +0.17\% | 874.5 | -0.67\% |
| **Sep 2025** | 1,712.8 | +0.16\% | 866.2 | -0.95\% |
| **Oct 2025** | 1,715.2 | +0.14\% | 860.5 | -0.66\% |
| **Nov 2025** | 1,717.7 | +0.14\% | 856.7 | -0.44\% |
| **Dec 2025** | 1,719.9 | +0.13\% | 862.7 | +0.70\% |
| **Jan 2026** | 1,722.4 | +0.15\% | 864.6 | +0.22\% |
| **Feb 2026** | 1,725.5 | +0.18\% | 870.9 | +0.73\% |
| **Mar 2026** | 1,728.9 | +0.20\% | 876.2 | +0.61%

Federal job cuts are coming over the summer and may cascade out to broader economy but good to see some recovery to start the year.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Federal job cuts are coming over the summer and may cascade out to broader economy but good to see some recovery to start the year.

Hospital and educational institutions are likely in the pipeline as well. Ottawa Hospital just announced 400 job cuts.

[misterg]

Originally Posted by sgera

Based on latest stats canada labour and population estimates for Ottawa-Gatineau CMA.. seems like the NCR continues to grow at a fast past of 2% a year adding 30k-40k new residents annually despite immigration limit slow down. Further, it looks as though the worst of the job losses are past and we are back on growth mode (after six months of losses, four consecutive growth months).

### **Updated Month-over-Month (MoM) Statistics**
| Month | Total Population (000s) | Pop MoM % | Employment (000s) | Emp MoM % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feb 2025** | 1,691.9 | — | 894.6 | — |
| **Mar 2025** | 1,695.0 | +0.18\% | 897.0 | +0.27\% |
| **Apr 2025** | 1,698.0 | +0.18\% | 894.2 | -0.31\% |
| **May 2025** | 1,700.9 | +0.17\% | 890.4 | -0.42\% |
| **Jun 2025** | 1,704.1 | +0.19\% | 882.3 | -0.91\% |
| **Jul 2025** | **1,707.0** | +0.17\% | 880.4 | -0.22\% |
| **Aug 2025** | 1,709.9 | +0.17\% | 874.5 | -0.67\% |
| **Sep 2025** | 1,712.8 | +0.16\% | 866.2 | -0.95\% |
| **Oct 2025** | 1,715.2 | +0.14\% | 860.5 | -0.66\% |
| **Nov 2025** | 1,717.7 | +0.14\% | 856.7 | -0.44\% |
| **Dec 2025** | 1,719.9 | +0.13\% | 862.7 | +0.70\% |
| **Jan 2026** | 1,722.4 | +0.15\% | 864.6 | +0.22\% |
| **Feb 2026** | 1,725.5 | +0.18\% | 870.9 | +0.73\% |
| **Mar 2026** | 1,728.9 | +0.20\% | 876.2 | +0.61%

I can't seem to find this data on the site, would you mind posting a link?

[Tesladom]

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710014801

This shows 1.7Million in 2025 estimate

However the CMA region is quite large (seems larger than Montreal's for example):
https://geoprod.statcan.gc.ca/datatomap/...2021S0503505%27],%27id%27:%27S0503%27}]}

[sgera]

Originally Posted by Tesladom

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710014801

This shows 1.7Million in 2025 estimate

However the CMA region is quite large (seems larger than Montreal's for example):
https://geoprod.statcan.gc.ca/datatomap/...2021S0503505%27],%27id%27:%27S0503%27}]}

yes and here is the employment number links:

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/...026&referencePeriods=20250201%2C20260601

[ponyboycurtis]

I was thinking earlier that the connections between Ottawa and Gatineau really stink. Bridges.. transit.. garbage pickup.. health services... you name it.

As cool as it is to live on a 'border city' for lack of a better descriptions it certainly has a pile of drawbacks.

This will only continue to show itself as the population grows.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

I was thinking earlier that the connections between Ottawa and Gatineau really stink. Bridges.. transit.. garbage pickup.. health services... you name it.

As cool as it is to live on a 'border city' for lack of a better descriptions it certainly has a pile of drawbacks.

This will only continue to show itself as the population grows.

We are a federation so yes there are lots of barriers to services but Gatineau still benefits from having Ottawa there. CHEO is a great resource for example that somewhere like Rivere-Du-Loup doesn't have. From my place in Ottawa I can be in Gatineau park in 20 minutes. Sure part of this is because of this barrier making population unbalanced but it's still a great benefit for access to wilderness or cottage country that wouldn't exist elsewhere.

[misterg]

This could be me just being naive here haha so apologies if so, but the stats only show population for 2025 (July 1) from what I see so where are you getting the CMA population data monthly up until March 2026?

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

We are a federation so yes there are lots of barriers to services but Gatineau still benefits from having Ottawa there. CHEO is a great resource for example that somewhere like Rivere-Du-Loup doesn't have. From my place in Ottawa I can be in Gatineau park in 20 minutes. Sure part of this is because of this barrier making population unbalanced but it's still a great benefit for access to wilderness or cottage country that wouldn't exist elsewhere.

CHEO and health care is a great example of how the current situation doesn't work. Ontario funds Ottawa's health care system based on the Ontario side of the population and Quebec underfunds the Outaouais' health care system because they figure the residents on the Quebec side can just go to Ottawa.

Our health care system (amongst other things) should get extra funding from the Feds to recognize the two Province reality, or better yet, form a Federal District.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Our health care system (amongst other things) should get extra funding from the Feds to recognize the two Province reality, or better yet, form a Federal District.

Or, crazy idea, Ottawa and Gatineau should be getting their appropriate share of funding from the provinces they are in.

The attitude of Queen's Park and Quebec City that the NCR is a federal responsibility is exactly like how provinces used to (and still do in many ways) try and pawn off their "remote" regions on the federal government - even NS has done this with Cape Breton; Newfoundland does it with Labrador, Ontario with Northern Ontario, etc.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

Or, crazy idea, Ottawa and Gatineau should be getting their appropriate share of funding from the provinces they are in.

The attitude of Queen's Park and Quebec City that the NCR is a federal responsibility is exactly like how provinces used to (and still do in many ways) try and pawn off their "remote" regions on the federal government - even NS has done this with Cape Breton; Newfoundland does it with Labrador, Ontario with Northern Ontario, etc.

"Don't butt into our jurisdiction, except for these regions. We don't want to bother with these. We want to keep the taxes though."

[sgera]

Originally Posted by misterg

This could be me just being naive here haha so apologies if so, but the stats only show population for 2025 (July 1) from what I see so where are you getting the CMA population data monthly up until March 2026?

1. Stats Canada publishes estimated CMA population by month for workforce (ages 15+, excludes folks younger than that) here: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/...026&referencePeriods=20250201%2C20260601

2. based on july 1 CMA estimate of 1.7M listed here: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710014801

3. i took months post July 1 CMA estimate and extrapolated forward to account for population <15 yrs of age matching growth rates from #1 (working population estimates).

[phil235]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

CHEO and health care is a great example of how the current situation doesn't work. Ontario funds Ottawa's health care system based on the Ontario side of the population and Quebec underfunds the Outaouais' health care system because they figure the residents on the Quebec side can just go to Ottawa.

This isn't quite true. CHEO is a regional facility that also gets funding from the Quebec government: https://www.cheo.on.ca/en/about-us/about...%2C%20Nunavut%20and%20northern%20Ontario.

CHEO is actually an example of how it can work.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by phil235

This isn't quite true. CHEO is a regional facility that also gets funding from the Quebec government: https://www.cheo.on.ca/en/about-us/about...%2C%20Nunavut%20and%20northern%20Ontario.

CHEO is actually an example of how it can work.

Honestly, I had no idea. Thanks for that.