Population & Dwellings

Total population, population change, density, and dwelling counts. — 2021 Census of Population

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Total Population

Total population count

Distribution by riding

Population by federal riding, 2021 Census. Median 112,965 persons; range 26,655 (Labrador) to 134,415 (Kingston and the Islands); half of ridings between 103,980 and 118,220.

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Median riding 112,965

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Vertical axis: Population (persons)

Each dot is one federal riding (343 with a figure; 2023 Representation Order), placed by its value and spread across the axis so that dots do not overlap. The line marks the median riding (112,965). Prairies: Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Atlantic: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. North: Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population.

Highest and lowest ridings

Population by federal riding, 2021 Census. 343 ridings ranked from highest (1) to lowest; tied values share a rank. Bars start at zero on one scale; the vertical line marks the median riding (112,965).

10 highest

The 10 ridings with the highest values: population, 2021 Census
Rank	Riding	Value
1	Kingston and the IslandsON	134,415
2	Chatham-Kent—LeamingtonON	134,225
3	Niagara SouthON	132,500
4	EssexON	131,825
5	OshawaON	131,070
6	Windsor—Tecumseh—LakeshoreON	130,960
7	Windsor WestON	130,165
8	Bowmanville—Oshawa NorthON	128,535
9	Ottawa West—NepeanON	128,520
10	PeterboroughON	128,345

10 lowest

The 10 ridings with the lowest values: population, 2021 Census, lowest first
Rank	Riding	Value
343	LabradorNL	26,655
342	NunavutNU	36,860
341	EgmontPE	37,755
340	Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill RiverSK	37,845
339	MalpequePE	38,535
338	CharlottetownPE	38,810
337	CardiganPE	39,230
336	YukonYT	40,235
335	Northwest TerritoriesNT	41,070
334	Miramichi—Grand LakeNB	59,725

All 343 ridings, ranked

All ridings ranked by population, 2021 Census, highest first
Rank	Riding	Province or territory	Value
1	Kingston and the Islands	Ontario	134,415
2	Chatham-Kent—Leamington	Ontario	134,225
3	Niagara South	Ontario	132,500
4	Essex	Ontario	131,825
5	Oshawa	Ontario	131,070
6	Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore	Ontario	130,960
7	Windsor West	Ontario	130,165
8	Bowmanville—Oshawa North	Ontario	128,535
9	Ottawa West—Nepean	Ontario	128,520
10	Peterborough	Ontario	128,345
11	Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong	Ontario	128,155
12	Orléans	Ontario	127,000
13	Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester	Ontario	126,920
14	Ottawa South	Ontario	126,780
15	Hamilton East—Stoney Creek	Ontario	126,690
16	Ajax	Ontario	126,670
17	London Centre	Ontario	126,600
18	Ottawa Centre	Ontario	126,560
19	Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan	Alberta	126,315
20	London—Fanshawe	Ontario	126,285
21	Hamilton Centre	Ontario	126,190
22	North Island—Powell River	British Columbia	125,775
23	Etobicoke Centre	Ontario	125,605
24	Burlington North—Milton West	Ontario	125,575
25	Burlington	Ontario	125,435
25	Toronto—St. Paul's	Ontario	125,435
27	Davenport	Ontario	125,050
28	Thornhill	Ontario	124,870
29	Richmond Hill South	Ontario	124,745
30	King—Vaughan	Ontario	124,400
31	Carleton	Ontario	124,305
32	Cowichan—Malahat—Langford	British Columbia	124,105
33	Mississauga Centre	Ontario	124,085
34	Scarborough—Agincourt	Ontario	123,975
35	Lethbridge	Alberta	123,845
36	University—Rosedale	Ontario	123,815
37	Calgary McKnight	Alberta	123,775
38	Victoria	British Columbia	123,485
39	Scarborough Southwest	Ontario	122,870
40	Nanaimo—Ladysmith	British Columbia	122,855
41	Courtenay—Alberni	British Columbia	122,815
42	Pickering—Brooklin	Ontario	122,435
43	Nepean	Ontario	122,305
44	Saanich—Gulf Islands	British Columbia	122,150
45	Oxford	Ontario	121,780
46	Vaughan—Woodbridge	Ontario	121,705
47	Toronto Centre	Ontario	121,700
48	Kanata	Ontario	121,565
49	Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations	Ontario	121,545
50	Waterloo	Ontario	121,435
51	St. Albert—Sturgeon River	Alberta	121,310
52	Etobicoke—Lakeshore	Ontario	120,955
53	Markham—Stouffville	Ontario	120,845
54	Dufferin—Caledon	Ontario	120,815
55	Burnaby Central	British Columbia	120,755
56	Vaudreuil	Quebec	120,655
57	Don Valley West	Ontario	120,580
58	Calgary Centre	Alberta	120,545
59	Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas	Ontario	120,505
60	Barrie South—Innisfil	Ontario	120,380
61	Mississauga—Erin Mills	Ontario	120,240
62	Mississauga East—Cooksville	Ontario	120,195
63	Calgary Signal Hill	Alberta	120,190
64	Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke	British Columbia	120,175
65	Mississauga—Lakeshore	Ontario	119,935
66	St. Catharines	Ontario	119,870
67	Kitchener South—Hespeler	Ontario	119,850
68	Mississauga—Malton	Ontario	119,745
69	Surrey Centre	British Columbia	119,730
70	Calgary Heritage	Alberta	119,560
70	Surrey Newton	British Columbia	119,560
72	Calgary East	Alberta	119,555
73	Calgary Confederation	Alberta	119,505
74	Cambridge	Ontario	119,500
75	New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury	Ontario	119,360
76	Burnaby North—Seymour	British Columbia	119,305
77	Brampton East	Ontario	119,210
78	Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes	Ontario	119,150
79	Chilliwack—Hope	British Columbia	119,080
80	Calgary Midnapore	Alberta	118,695
81	Guelph	Ontario	118,690
82	Vancouver East	British Columbia	118,675
83	Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford	British Columbia	118,545
84	Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon	Quebec	118,475
85	South Surrey—White Rock	British Columbia	118,280
86	Willowdale	Ontario	118,220
87	Taiaiako'n—Parkdale—High Park	Ontario	117,900
88	Calgary Nose Hill	Alberta	117,885
89	Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill	Ontario	117,750
90	Delta	British Columbia	117,735
91	Newmarket—Aurora	Ontario	117,700
92	Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby	British Columbia	117,485
93	Fleetwood—Port Kells	British Columbia	117,420
94	Calgary Crowfoot	Alberta	117,345
95	Cariboo—Prince George	British Columbia	117,150
96	Columbia—Kootenay—Southern Rockies	British Columbia	117,110
97	Cloverdale—Langley City	British Columbia	117,050
98	Langley Township—Fraser Heights	British Columbia	117,005
99	Markham—Unionville	Ontario	116,970
99	Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies	British Columbia	116,970
101	Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge	British Columbia	116,915
102	Etobicoke North	Ontario	116,890
103	Sherbrooke	Quebec	116,845
104	Vancouver Granville	British Columbia	116,795
105	Milton East—Halton Hills South	Ontario	116,730
106	Haldimand—Norfolk	Ontario	116,705
107	York—Durham	Ontario	116,560
108	Vancouver Kingsway	British Columbia	116,495
109	Abbotsford—South Langley	British Columbia	116,385
110	Richmond Centre—Marpole	British Columbia	116,380
111	Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata	Quebec	116,215
112	Scarborough North	Ontario	116,180
113	Richmond East—Steveston	British Columbia	116,140
114	North Vancouver—Capilano	British Columbia	116,055
115	Vancouver Centre	British Columbia	115,965
116	Shefford	Quebec	115,920
117	Eglinton—Lawrence	Ontario	115,830
118	Laurier—Sainte-Marie	Quebec	115,700
119	Hamilton Mountain	Ontario	115,635
120	Middlesex—London	Ontario	115,610
121	Brampton—Chinguacousy Park	Ontario	115,565
122	Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte	Ontario	115,490
123	Port Moody—Coquitlam	British Columbia	115,260
124	Whitby	Ontario	115,250
125	Airdrie—Cochrane	Alberta	115,240
126	Edmonton Centre	Alberta	115,155
127	Calgary Shepard	Alberta	115,085
128	Longueuil—Saint-Hubert	Quebec	115,080
129	Yellowhead	Alberta	115,055
130	Outremont	Quebec	115,050
131	Foothills	Alberta	114,995
132	Red Deer	Alberta	114,975
133	La Prairie—Atateken	Quebec	114,970
134	Châteauguay—Les Jardins-de-Napierville	Quebec	114,945
135	Vancouver Quadra	British Columbia	114,785
136	Parkland	Alberta	114,685
137	Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle	Quebec	114,660
138	Calgary Skyview	Alberta	114,655
139	New Westminster—Burnaby—Maillardville	British Columbia	114,640
139	Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry	Ontario	114,640
141	Saint-Jean	Quebec	114,615
142	Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam	British Columbia	114,565
143	Beloeil—Chambly	Quebec	114,555
144	Ponoka—Didsbury	Alberta	114,535
145	Sudbury	Ontario	114,380
146	London West	Ontario	114,370
146	Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs	Quebec	114,370
148	Brossard—Saint-Lambert	Quebec	114,290
149	West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country	British Columbia	114,260
150	Brampton West	Ontario	114,255
151	Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park	Ontario	114,250
152	Leduc—Wetaskiwin	Alberta	114,240
153	Trois-Rivières	Quebec	114,065
154	Perth—Wellington	Ontario	113,930
155	Brome—Missisquoi	Quebec	113,915
156	Peace River—Westlock	Alberta	113,905
157	Terrebonne	Quebec	113,795
158	Sault Ste. Marie—Algoma	Ontario	113,770
159	Mississauga—Streetsville	Ontario	113,765
160	Beauport—Limoilou	Quebec	113,660
161	Rivière-du-Nord	Quebec	113,515
162	Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake	Ontario	113,500
163	Kitchener Centre	Ontario	113,405
164	Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound	Ontario	113,350
165	Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles	Quebec	113,305
166	Compton—Stanstead	Quebec	113,285
167	Brampton South	Ontario	113,250
168	Louis-Saint-Laurent—Akiawenhrahk	Quebec	113,225
169	Edmonton Southeast	Alberta	113,210
170	Alfred-Pellan	Quebec	113,175
171	Kitchener—Conestoga	Ontario	112,975
172	Edmonton Northwest	Alberta	112,965
173	Edmonton West	Alberta	112,940
174	Huron—Bruce	Ontario	112,930
175	Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie	Quebec	112,910
176	Grande Prairie	Alberta	112,905
176	Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel	Quebec	112,905
178	Lévis—Lotbinière	Quebec	112,830
179	Bow River	Alberta	112,770
180	Mount Royal	Quebec	112,705
181	Elgin—St. Thomas—London South	Ontario	112,450
182	LaSalle—Émard—Verdun	Quebec	112,300
183	Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne	Quebec	112,260
184	Edmonton Manning	Alberta	112,175
185	Thérèse-De Blainville	Quebec	112,160
186	Niagara West	Ontario	112,065
187	Simcoe North	Ontario	112,025
188	Saint-Maurice—Champlain	Quebec	111,995
189	Montcalm	Quebec	111,955
190	Laval—Les Îles	Quebec	111,785
191	Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis	Quebec	111,740
192	Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola	British Columbia	111,690
193	Edmonton Riverbend	Alberta	111,605
194	Humber River—Black Creek	Ontario	111,595
195	Edmonton Strathcona	Alberta	111,545
196	Repentigny	Quebec	111,525
197	Ahuntsic-Cartierville	Quebec	111,510
198	Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount	Quebec	111,375
198	Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East	Ontario	111,375
200	York South—Weston—Etobicoke	Ontario	111,335
201	Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie	Quebec	111,320
202	Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay	British Columbia	111,285
203	Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi	Quebec	111,140
204	Edmonton Griesbach	Alberta	111,125
205	Don Valley North	Ontario	111,115
206	Markham—Thornhill	Ontario	111,085
207	Beauce	Quebec	111,035
208	Papineau	Quebec	110,810
209	Scarborough—Woburn	Ontario	110,800
210	Richmond—Arthabaska	Quebec	110,650
211	Fort McMurray—Cold Lake	Alberta	110,515
212	La Pointe-de-l'Île	Quebec	110,485
213	Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj	Quebec	110,225
214	Battle River—Crowfoot	Alberta	110,215
215	Edmonton Gateway	Alberta	110,170
216	Bay of Quinte	Ontario	110,155
217	Lac-Saint-Louis	Quebec	110,090
218	Hochelaga—Rosemont-Est	Quebec	110,060
219	Pierrefonds—Dollard	Quebec	109,500
220	Brampton Centre	Ontario	109,455
221	Beaches—East York	Ontario	109,355
222	Gatineau	Quebec	109,320
223	Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies	British Columbia	109,220
224	Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation	Quebec	109,205
225	Prescott—Russell—Cumberland	Ontario	109,125
226	Vimy	Quebec	108,770
227	Saint-Laurent	Quebec	108,765
228	Oakville East	Ontario	108,745
229	Berthier—Maskinongé	Quebec	108,640
230	Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee	British Columbia	108,625
231	York Centre	Ontario	108,305
232	Drummond	Quebec	107,965
233	Simcoe—Grey	Ontario	107,835
234	Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke	Ontario	107,420
235	Les Pays-d'en-Haut	Quebec	106,830
236	Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna	British Columbia	106,795
237	Brampton North—Caledon	Ontario	106,760
238	Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier	Quebec	106,610
239	Northumberland—Clarke	Ontario	106,575
240	Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga	Ontario	106,475
241	Louis-Hébert	Quebec	106,115
242	Spadina—Harbourfront	Ontario	105,745
243	Kelowna	British Columbia	105,715
244	Lakeland	Alberta	105,645
245	Bourassa	Quebec	105,635
246	Hull—Aylmer	Quebec	105,560
247	Toronto—Danforth	Ontario	105,470
248	Honoré-Mercier	Quebec	105,435
249	Wellington—Halton Hills North	Ontario	105,115
250	Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton	Quebec	105,085
251	Dartmouth—Cole Harbour	Nova Scotia	105,020
252	Oakville West	Ontario	105,015
253	Rivière-des-Mille-Îles	Quebec	104,960
254	Joliette—Manawan	Quebec	104,735
255	Marc-Aurèle-Fortin	Quebec	104,635
256	Parry Sound—Muskoka	Ontario	104,505
257	Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes	Ontario	104,070
258	Québec Centre	Quebec	103,980
259	Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner	Alberta	103,820
260	Abitibi—Témiscamingue	Quebec	103,735
261	Flamborough—Glanbrook—Brant North	Ontario	103,720
262	Lanark—Frontenac	Ontario	103,125
263	Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière	Quebec	103,115
264	Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères	Quebec	103,020
265	Rimouski—La Matapédia	Quebec	102,020
266	Montmorency—Charlevoix	Quebec	101,060
267	Mirabel	Quebec	100,600
268	Halifax West	Nova Scotia	100,350
269	Provencher	Manitoba	100,320
270	St. Boniface—St. Vital	Manitoba	99,975
271	Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt	Ontario	99,835
272	Winnipeg South	Manitoba	99,795
273	Kildonan—St. Paul	Manitoba	99,620
274	Elmwood—Transcona	Manitoba	99,365
275	Sackville—Bedford—Preston	Nova Scotia	99,095
276	Halifax	Nova Scotia	98,880
277	Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman	Manitoba	98,615
278	Nipissing—Timiskaming	Ontario	98,285
279	Winnipeg Centre	Manitoba	96,850
280	Bécancour—Nicolet—Saurel—Alnôbak	Quebec	96,435
281	Winnipeg South Centre	Manitoba	95,885
282	Winnipeg North	Manitoba	95,180
283	Kings—Hants	Nova Scotia	95,115
284	Portage—Lisgar	Manitoba	94,835
285	Winnipeg West	Manitoba	94,075
286	Brandon—Souris	Manitoba	93,930
287	Kapuskasing—Timmins—Mushkegowuk	Ontario	93,905
288	Laurentides—Labelle	Quebec	92,895
289	Chicoutimi—Le Fjord	Quebec	92,460
290	Lac-Saint-Jean	Quebec	92,035
291	Moncton—Dieppe	New Brunswick	91,990
292	Jonquière	Quebec	91,060
293	Riding Mountain	Manitoba	90,965
294	Skeena—Bulkley Valley	British Columbia	89,690
295	Saskatoon South	Saskatchewan	89,565
296	Regina—Qu'Appelle	Saskatchewan	89,275
297	Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou	Quebec	89,085
298	Regina—Wascana	Saskatchewan	89,065
299	Saskatoon—University	Saskatchewan	88,715
300	Beauséjour	New Brunswick	88,560
301	Côte-Nord—Kawawachikamach—Nitassinan	Quebec	88,525
302	Prince Albert	Saskatchewan	88,520
303	Saskatoon West	Saskatchewan	87,870
304	Regina—Lewvan	Saskatchewan	86,900
305	Thunder Bay—Superior North	Ontario	86,145
306	Cape Spear	Newfoundland and Labrador	85,165
307	Fredericton—Oromocto	New Brunswick	84,990
308	St. John's East	Newfoundland and Labrador	84,965
309	Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek	Saskatchewan	84,105
310	Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan	Saskatchewan	83,315
311	Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake	Saskatchewan	83,255
312	Churchill—Keewatinook Aski	Manitoba	82,745
313	Thunder Bay—Rainy River	Ontario	82,360
314	Sydney—Glace Bay	Nova Scotia	82,330
315	Cumberland—Colchester	Nova Scotia	82,015
316	Saint John—Kennebecasis	New Brunswick	81,920
317	Long Range Mountains	Newfoundland and Labrador	81,790
318	Avalon	Newfoundland and Labrador	81,735
319	Saint John—St. Croix	New Brunswick	80,190
320	Acadie—Bathurst	New Brunswick	79,580
321	South Shore—St. Margarets	Nova Scotia	79,130
322	Central Nova	Nova Scotia	76,215
323	Acadie—Annapolis	Nova Scotia	76,200
324	Terra Nova—The Peninsulas	Newfoundland and Labrador	76,110
325	Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley	Saskatchewan	75,680
326	Souris—Moose Mountain	Saskatchewan	75,205
327	Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish	Nova Scotia	75,030
328	Central Newfoundland	Newfoundland and Labrador	74,120
329	Fundy Royal	New Brunswick	73,565
330	Yorkton—Melville	Saskatchewan	73,190
331	Madawaska—Restigouche	New Brunswick	70,560
332	Tobique—Mactaquac	New Brunswick	64,530
333	Kenora—Kiiwetinoong	Ontario	61,960
334	Miramichi—Grand Lake	New Brunswick	59,725
335	Northwest Territories	Northwest Territories	41,070
336	Yukon	Yukon	40,235
337	Cardigan	Prince Edward Island	39,230
338	Charlottetown	Prince Edward Island	38,810
339	Malpeque	Prince Edward Island	38,535
340	Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River	Saskatchewan	37,845
341	Egmont	Prince Edward Island	37,755
342	Nunavut	Nunavut	36,860
343	Labrador	Newfoundland and Labrador	26,655

Value: Total population count. Riding names link to the riding's dissemination-area map for this topic.

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Population & Dwellings — 2021 Census

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Population & Dwellings in Canada

The 2021 Census of Population counted 36,991,981 Canadians, a 5.2 percent increase over five years and the fastest growth rate in the G7. Four-fifths of that growth came from immigration rather than natural increase. The population topic maps four metrics — total population, population change, density, and total dwellings — that together reveal the uneven geography of where Canadians live and how quickly different regions are growing or declining.

Total Population by Riding

Federal ridings are designed to hold roughly equal populations, but in practice the gap between the largest and smallest is wide. The most populous ridings in the 2022 redistribution — Kingston and the Islands (134,415), Chatham-Kent–Leamington (134,226), and Niagara South (132,500) — contain more than five times the population of the smallest riding, Labrador (26,655). The least-populous ridings are concentrated in the territories and Atlantic Canada, where vast geography or island geography makes equal-sized ridings impractical.

Population Density

Canada’s population density averages just 4 people per square kilometre nationally, but the map reveals that Canadians cluster overwhelmingly in a handful of urban corridors. Mississauga East–Cooksville is the densest riding at 50,661 per km², followed by Toronto Centre (38,280) and Mississauga–Lakeshore (31,608). The top ten densest ridings are all in the Toronto and Vancouver metro areas.

At the other extreme, ridings in Atlantic Canada and northern Quebec can cover thousands of square kilometres while holding fewer than 300 people per km². Tobique–Mactaquac in New Brunswick is the least dense riding in southern Canada at just 154 per km².

Total Dwellings

The total-dwellings metric offers a different lens than population alone. Some ridings have far more dwellings per resident than others, and the reasons are revealing.

Toronto Centre leads the country with 80,281 private dwellings for a population of 121,053 — a ratio of 0.66 dwellings per person, reflecting the dense condo towers of the downtown core. But the runner-up is a surprise: Parry Sound–Muskoka (79,049 dwellings for only 104,504 people), where the high count is driven by seasonal cottages and vacation properties that sit empty for much of the year.

The same pattern appears in Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes (73,166 dwellings) and Laurentides–Labelle (66,699 dwellings) — both are cottage-country ridings where private dwellings far exceed what the permanent population would suggest. This metric is a useful proxy for identifying regions with large seasonal or investment housing stocks.

Riding Rankings

The tables below rank ridings by population, density, and dwelling counts. Together they illustrate two Canadas: a small number of hyper-dense urban ridings where most people live, and a vast landscape of sparsely populated rural and northern ridings.

Most Populous Ridings

Rank	Riding	Population
1	Kingston and the Islands	134,415
2	Chatham-Kent–Leamington	134,226
3	Niagara South	132,500
4	Windsor–Tecumseh–Lakeshore	131,557
5	Oshawa	131,247
6	Windsor West	130,737
7	Essex	130,656
8	Calgary McKnight	129,678
9	Peterborough	128,349
10	Sarnia–Lambton–Bkejwanong	128,154

The largest ridings are predominantly in Ontario — eight of the top ten — reflecting the province’s rapid population growth outpacing the 2022 redistribution. Many are in southwestern Ontario (Windsor, Chatham-Kent, Essex), where fast-growing communities were assigned to ridings that now exceed the national average by 20 percent or more.

Least Populous Ridings

Rank	Riding	Population
1	Labrador	26,655
2	Egmont	36,771
3	Nunavut	36,858
4	Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River	38,217
5	Charlottetown	38,809
6	Cardigan	39,325
7	Malpeque	39,426
8	Yukon	40,232
9	Northwest Territories	41,070
10	Miramichi–Grand Lake	59,725

The three territories each form a single riding regardless of population, so their small counts are structural. The real outliers are in Atlantic Canada: PEI’s four ridings average under 39,000 people each, and Labrador’s vast geography (nearly 295,000 km²) makes it both the least populous and one of the least dense ridings in the country.

Most Dense Ridings

Rank	Riding	Density (per km²)
1	Mississauga East–Cooksville	50,661
2	Toronto Centre	38,280
3	Mississauga–Lakeshore	31,608
4	Spadina–Harbourfront	30,371
5	Vancouver Centre	30,100
6	Brampton–Chinguacousy Park	26,358
7	Mississauga Centre	22,112
8	Willowdale	21,847
9	University–Rosedale	21,679
10	Toronto–St. Paul’s	19,923

Mississauga’s dominance here may surprise those who think of it as suburban. Mississauga East–Cooksville is denser than downtown Toronto, driven by a cluster of high-rise towers along Hurontario Street. Three of the top seven densest ridings in Canada are in Mississauga. Vancouver Centre is the only non-Ontario riding in the top ten.

Least Dense Ridings

Rank	Riding	Density (per km²)
1	Tobique–Mactaquac	154
2	Malpeque	161
3	Cape Breton–Canso–Antigonish	180
4	Terra Nova–The Peninsulas	193
5	Miramichi–Grand Lake	195
6	Acadie–Annapolis	210
7	South Shore–St. Margarets	223
8	Acadie–Bathurst	268
9	Cardigan	289
10	Laurentides–Labelle	290

Excluding the territories (which are orders of magnitude less dense), the least-dense ridings are all in Atlantic Canada and rural Quebec. These are regions of population stagnation or decline, where small towns are spread across large forested or coastal areas. The contrast with the density list above is striking: Mississauga East–Cooksville is over 300 times denser than Tobique–Mactaquac.

Most Dwellings (by Riding)

Rank	Riding	Dwellings	Population	Ratio
1	Toronto Centre	80,281	121,053	0.66
2	Parry Sound–Muskoka	79,049	104,504	0.76
3	Vancouver Centre	76,868	117,342	0.66
4	Ville-Marie–Le Sud-Ouest–Île-des-Sœurs	75,219	115,145	0.65
5	University–Rosedale	74,783	121,810	0.61
6	Spadina–Harbourfront	74,053	106,389	0.70
7	Laurier–Sainte-Marie	73,435	114,796	0.64
8	Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes	73,166	119,150	0.61
9	Calgary Centre	72,764	118,619	0.61
10	Ottawa Centre	70,917	116,399	0.61

The dwellings-per-person ratio tells two stories. Downtown cores (Toronto Centre, Vancouver Centre, Spadina–Harbourfront) have high ratios because small households each occupy a unit. But Parry Sound–Muskoka has the highest ratio of all at 0.76 — nearly three dwellings for every four residents — because thousands of cottages and seasonal homes inflate the dwelling count far beyond what the year-round population requires. Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes shows the same cottage-country effect.

Postal Code (FSA) Rankings

FSA-level data offers finer geographic resolution. The most-populous postal codes tend to be large rural FSAs covering vast areas, while the most-dwelling-heavy ones include cottage country and dense urban cores.

Most Populous FSAs

Rank	FSA	Area	Population	Dwellings
1	J0K	Lanaudière, QC	149,238	78,999
2	K0K	Peterborough/Kawartha, ON	115,850	53,153
3	K0A	Eastern Ontario (rural)	111,626	43,737
4	L9T	Milton, ON	110,956	34,110
5	L5M	Mississauga (Streetsville)	106,468	33,246
6	V3S	Surrey (Cloverdale)	104,997	33,851
7	L7A	Brampton (Gore Rd.)	104,009	27,796
8	L4N	Barrie, ON	100,835	37,801
9	L6Y	Brampton (Springdale)	97,601	28,798
10	V3W	Surrey (Guildford)	95,970	29,435

The most populous FSAs are a mix of large rural postal codes (J0K in Lanaudière covers dozens of municipalities) and fast-growing suburban areas (Milton, Barrie, Brampton, Surrey). Note the dwelling ratios: L7A in Brampton has only 27,796 dwellings for 104,009 people (0.27 per person), reflecting large multigenerational households, while J0K in cottage-country Lanaudière has 78,999 dwellings for 149,238 people (0.53) — many of them seasonal.

Most Dwellings (by FSA)

Rank	FSA	Area	Dwellings	Population
1	J0K	Lanaudière, QC	78,999	149,238
2	K0K	Peterborough/Kawartha, ON	53,153	115,850
3	K0L	Kawartha (Haliburton), ON	48,786	78,142
4	K0A	Eastern Ontario (rural)	43,737	111,626
5	G0R	Bas-Saint-Laurent, QC	43,153	84,338
6	M5V	Toronto (CityPlace/King W)	42,449	59,912
7	G0A	Beauce/Chaudière, QC	42,396	83,411
8	J0T	Laurentides, QC	42,290	51,466
9	V0N	Sea-to-Sky/Sunshine Coast, BC	39,578	71,423
10	V0E	Shuswap/North Okanagan, BC	39,107	72,013

The dwelling list is dominated by cottage and vacation-home territory. K0L (Haliburton area) has 48,786 dwellings for only 78,142 residents — a ratio of 0.62, indicating that roughly a third of homes are seasonal. J0T in the Laurentides is even more extreme at 42,290 dwellings for 51,466 people (0.82), meaning there are nearly as many dwellings as people. The lone urban entry, M5V in downtown Toronto, achieves its high count through sheer condo density rather than seasonal housing.

Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population. Riding boundaries reflect the 2022 Federal Electoral Districts. Adapted from Statistics Canada; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

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Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population. Adapted from Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.