Demographics of Alberta



Alberta has experienced a relatively high rate of growth in recent years, due in large part to its economy. Between 2003 and 2004, the province saw high birthrates (on par with some larger provinces such as British Columbia), relatively high immigration, and a high rate of interprovincial migration when compared to other provinces. Approximately 81% of the population live in urban areas and only about 19% live in rural areas. The Calgary–Edmonton Corridor is the most urbanized area in Alberta and is one of Canada's four most urban regions. Many of Alberta's cities and towns have also experienced high rates of growth in recent history. From a population of 73,022 in 1901, Alberta has grown to 4,262,635 in 2021 and in the process has gone from less than 1.5% of Canada's population to 11.5%. It is the fourth most populated province in Canada. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the Alberta population grew by 4.8%.

Population history
† 1901 population for District of Alberta, part of the then-named North-West Territories.

Census metropolitan areas
As of the 2011 census, Alberta had two census metropolitan areas (CMAs) recognized by Statistics Canada. A third one was added in the 2016 census.

The following is a list of the recent population history of the Calgary and Edmonton CMAs.

The third CMA added in 2016 is Lethbridge, and its population history is as follows:

The fourth CMA added in 2021 is Red Deer, and its population history is as follows: CMA notes: 

Census subdivisions
As of the 2006 census, Alberta had 453 census subdivisions (municipalities and municipal equivalents) recognized by Statistics Canada. The following is a list of those census subdivisions with a population of 10,000 or greater.

Ethnic origins
The ethnicities most commonly reported in the 2021 Census are shown in the table below. The percentages add up to more than 100% because of dual responses (e.g. "Irish-Canadian" generates an entry in both the category "Irish" and the category "Canadian").

Knowledge of languages
The question on knowledge of languages allows for multiple responses. The following figures are from the 2021 Canadian Census and the 2016 Canadian Census, and lists languages that were selected by at least one per cent of respondents.

Mother tongue
Of the 4,221,835 singular responses to the 2021 census question concerning mother tongue, the languages most commonly reported were:

In addition to the table above, other mother tongues in Alberta include (including languages with more than 422 people, or 0.01 per cent of respondents):


 * 2,120 Bosnian;
 * 2,100 Slovak;
 * 2,070 Khmer (Cambodian);
 * 1,720 Pampangan;
 * 1,655 Marathi;
 * 1,495 Indonesian;
 * 1,470 Kurdish;
 * 1,435 Nilo-Saharan languages;
 * 1,390 Bulgarian;
 * 1,355 Sign languages;
 * 1,155 Lao;
 * 1,135 Hebrew;
 * 1,020 Neo-Aramaic;
 * 865 Kannada;
 * 815 Finnish;
 * 810 Karenic languages;
 * 745 Tibetan;
 * 730 Bilen;
 * 715 Waray;
 * 635 Mongolian;
 * 635 Pangasinan;
 * 625 Slovenian;
 * 590 Armenian;
 * 570 Lithuanian;
 * 545 Burmese;
 * 545 Malay;
 * 425 Macedonian;

In addition to the single-language responses detailed above, about 88,765 people reported having more than one mother tongue. There were 74,515 responses of both English and a non-official language; 2,785 of both French and a non-official language; 10,005 of both English and French; and 1,455 of English, French and a non-official language.

Religion
Just under 50 percent of Albertans identify as Christian, while over 40 percent of residents identify with no religion. The largest denominations are the Roman Catholic, United, Anglican, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches.

Just over 1 percent of Albertans are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, descended from pioneers who emigrated from Utah around the turn of the 20th century; there are three temples in the province. Alberta also has large numbers of Pentecostal, Presbyterians, and evangelical Christians.

There are significant numbers of Mennonites and Hutterites, which are communal Anabaptist sects. There are also many Jehovah's Witnesses and Reformed Christians, as well a significant population of Seventh-day Adventists in and around Lacombe where the Canadian University College is located.

Alberta is also home to several Eastern Rite Churches as part of the legacy of Eastern European immigrants, including the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Diocese of Edmonton and Western Canada. There are 500 Doukhobors living in their few communities across Southern Alberta.

Many people of the Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim faiths also make Alberta their home; one of the largest Sikh temples in Canada is located just outside Edmonton. Most of Alberta's Jewish population of 11,390 lives in Calgary and Edmonton.

Alberta's second largest religion, Islam, has roots that include Canada's first mosque, Al-Rashid Mosque, built in 1938 led by a Lebanese woman named Hilwie Hamdon.


 * Statistics Canada. 2022. Alberta (table). National Household Survey (NHS) Profile. 2021 National Household Survey. Released October 26, 2022.

Immigration
The 2021 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 970,975 persons or 23.2 percent of the total population of Alberta.

Recent immigration
The 2021 Canadian census counted a total of 193,170 people who immigrated to Alberta between 2016 and 2021.

Interprovincial migration


Over the past five decades, Alberta has had the highest net increase from interprovincial migration of any province. However, it typically experiences population decline during economic downturns, as it did during the 1980s. Oil is the main industry driving interprovincial migration to Alberta, as many Canadians move to Alberta to work on the oil fields. Interprovincial migration to Alberta rises and drops dependent of the price of oil. There was a dramatic reduction after the 2014 drop in oil prices. Source: Statistics Canada