There were 44,920 people living in the Northwest Territories as of April 1, 2024, according to new data released by Statistics Canada.
That marks a population increase of 242 people since the same date in 2023 for the territory.
In terms of natural changes to the population in that period, there were 507 births and 331 deaths in the territory, resulting in a net increase of 176 persons. Meanwhile, the territory experienced a net loss of 625 inter-provincial migrants, which was counterbalanced by a net gain of 691 international migrants.
The NWT’s net international migration has been rising since late 2020. In the second quarter of 2024, it reached its highest level since comparable data first started being tracked, way back in the third quarter of 1971.
"In the NWT, population growth fluctuates based on migration patterns; generally, net inter-provincial migration has been mostly negative, offset by positive net international migration and natural increase," a news release from Statistics Canada explained.
At the national level, Canada’s population increased by 3.2 per cent during the same period, climbing from 39,739,633 to 41,012,563.
The NWT's 0.5 per cent population increase was the lowest of any province or territory. Alberta experienced the highest population growth, climbing from 4,645,229 to 4,849,906 for an increase of 4.4 per cent. British Columbia and Ontario also experienced significant growth, at 3.3 and 3.5 per cent respectively. Nunavut's population rose by 0.7 per cent, and Yukon's by 2.6 per cent.