What are the largest cities in Canada by population?
In 2024, Toronto, Ontario's population reached 3,273,119, making it the most populous city in Canada. Across the country, there are five cities with more than one million inhabitants, eight cities with a population between 250,000 and 500,000, 24 cities between 100,000 and 250,000 people, and 393 cities between 10,000 and 100,000 people.
Each Canadian province and territory has a different definition and set of requirements for what gets classified as a city. In this article, we used data from Statistics Canada showing populations for census subdivisions which typically align with municipalities as defined by provincial and territorial laws. They can also include areas considered municipal equivalents for statistical purposes, such as Indian Reserves, Indian Settlements, and Unorganized Territories without municipal governments.
The 20 largest Canadian cities by population
About 42% of Canadians live in the 20 largest cities in the country. The top five—Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa—have over one million people, and together make up more than one-fifth of Canada’s population. Ontario, Canada’s most populated province, has nine cities in the top 20. Quebec has three, while British Columbia and Alberta each have two. Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan each have one. Among the top 10, only three cities — Toronto, Edmonton and Winnipeg — are provincial capitals.
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