Quebec is a province in Canada. By estimation, Quebec’s population is 8.6 million. It is the second largest population in Canada and the largest province by area, 1,542,056 sq. km (595,391 sq. mi).
Therefore, Quebec is the largest province in Canada in terms of area and the second largest administrative division after Nunavut. Quebec’s population, estimated to be 8.6 million, makes it the second most populous province in Canada.
Quebec is located in East Central Canada. It borders Ontario to the southwest, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, and New Brunswick to the southeast.
Quebec also has a border with New York, Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire to the south, Maine, and maritime borders with Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Nunavut.
Quebec Population 2021
From the Staten report, Quebec’s population in 2021 is estimated to be 8.6 million. It is the second-largest population in Canada and the largest province by land mass.
French is Quebec’s official language, and 94.6% of the province’s population knows French.
Quebec City is the capital of Quebec province. It celebrated its 400th anniversary as a city in 2008.
The location of Quebec City was officially discovered by the French explorer Jacques Cartier. He built a fort there in 1535 and a permanent settlement in 1541.
The French settlers who settled in New France, Quebec, came mainly from France’s western and northern provinces.
Quebec Population by Age and Sex Structure
Open table for Quebec population by age and sex
Age groups Total % of Population Male Female
0–4 years 444,930 5.45% 227,965 216,970
5–9 years 469,165 5.75% 240,225. 228,940
10–14 years 419,160 5.13% 214,345 204,815
15–19 years 429,825 5.26% 219,070 210,755
20-24 years 500,100 6.13% 252,600 247,500
25-29 years 495,410 6.07% 248,030 247,380
30-34 years 515,505 6.31% 256,440 259,070
35–39 years 550,540 6.74% 274,595 275,945
40–44 years 506,525 6.20% 254,100 252,425
45–49 years 519,425 6.36% 260,410 259,015
50–54 years 619,435 7.59% 309,070 310,370
55–59 years 636,475 7.80% 314,190 322,285
60–64 years 562,670 6.89% 276,140 286,535
65-69 years 488,175 5.98% 236,395 251,775
70-74 years 373,590 4.58% 176,905 196,690
75-79 years 256,905 3.15% 116,020 140,890
80-84 years 187,835 2.30% 78,390 109,450
85 + years 188,685 2.31% 61,885 126,805
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Total 8,164,360 100% 4,016,760 4,147,605
In 2016, Quebec’s median age was 41.2
Quebec population density
The province has a population density of 8 people per square kilometer or 15 per square mile. Quebec accounts for 24% of Canada’s total population.
The population of Immigrants in Quebec
The table below shows the number of immigrants in Quebec from 2008 to 2021. Between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, there were 33,665 new immigrants to Quebec
Number of Immigrants in Quebec from 2008 to 2021
Open table for Quebec population by immigrants
No of immigrants
2020-2021. 33,665
2019-2020. 33,295
2018-2019. 44,866
2017-2018. 47,906
2016-2017. 53,205
2015-2016. 55,357
2014-2015. 45,509
2013-2014. 51,697
2012-2013. 56,003
2011-2012. 54,213
2010-2011. 53,390
2009-2010. 51,521
2008-2009. 46,508
The population of International Students in Quebec
Quebec has been an ideal destination for a large number of international students from different countries of the world.
The province’s high attraction factor is a reason for many international students. Only in 2018, there were around 35,500 international university students in Greater Montreal, which recorded a 6.7 increase compared to 2017.
Therefore, this high increase was due to many advantages offered by the area in terms of world-class educational institutions, low cost of living, a dynamic cultural scene, a promising job market, and a safe environment.
Quebec Population Vaccinated
This is the report of the total number of doses administered and the total number of people fully vaccinated.
From the recent statistics, a total of 13,680,209 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to Quebec for administration. 97.6% of doses delivered to Quebec have been administered.
Therefore, more than 6,789,272 people from Quebec have received at least one dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine.
And 6,480,637 people from Quebec are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as they have received both required doses.
Largest 10 Cities in Quebec by Population
Montreal City
Quebec City
Laval
Gatineau
Longueuil
Sherbrooke
Saguenay
Levis
Trois Rivieres
Terrebonne
#1: Montreal City
Montreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in Quebec. It was founded in 1642 as Ville Marie meaning City of Mary. Besides, it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-peaked hill in the city’s heart.
Cities in Quebec
#2: Quebec City
This is the second largest city in the province after Montreal. Quebec City is the capital of Quebec and the second most populous city.
It is also the 10th most populous city in Canada and known for its historic Quebec fortified city walls, which are the only such walls left in the north.
Also, Quebec City, the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec, had a population of 531,902 as of 2016, and the metropolitan area had a population of 800,296. It is Canada’s eleventh-largest city and the seventh-largest metropolitan area.
#3: Laval
Laval is a Canadian city in southwestern Quebec, north of Montreal. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest city in the province after Montreal and Quebec City, and the thirteenth most significant city in Canada, with a population of 422,993 in 2016.
#4: Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is located on the northern bank of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and is part of Canada’s National Capital Region.
As of 2016, Gatineau is the fourth-largest city in the province, with a population of 276,245 and a metropolitan population of 332,057. The Ottawa Gatineau census metropolitan area had a population of 1,323,783.
#5: Longueuil
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Monteregie administrative region and the central city of the urban agglomeration of Longueuil.
Longueuil is located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River, directly across from Montreal. It has a total population of 239,700, making it Montreal’s second-largest suburb. The fifth most populous city in Quebec and the twentieth largest in Canada.
#6: Sherbrooke
Sherbrooke is a city in southern Quebec, Canada. Sherbrooke is located at the confluence of St. Francis and Magog rivers in the heart of the Estrie administrative region.
Sherbrooke is also the name of a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) and census division (CD) of Quebec, coextensive with the city of Sherbrooke.
With a total population of 165,005, it is the sixth-largest city in the province and the thirtieth-largest in Canada.
#7: Saguenay
Saguenay is a city in the Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, Canada. This is the seventh-largest city in Quebec, with a total population of 144,989.
#8: Levis
Levis is a city in eastern Quebec, Canada, located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, opposite Quebec City. Levis is the 8th among the ten largest cities in Quebec.
#9: Trois Rivieres
Trois Rivieres is a city in the Mauricie administrative region of Quebec, Canada. In 2021, the city’s population was 140,420, ranking 9th out of the ten largest cities in Quebec.
Trois Rivieres is located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence rivers, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of Becancour.
It is part of the densely populated Quebec City Windsor Corridor and is halfway between Montreal and Quebec City. Trois Rivières is the economic and cultural hub of the Mauricie region.
#10: Terrebonne
Terrebonne is an off-island suburb of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is located on the north shores of the Rivière des Mille-Îles and of the Rivière des Prairies, north of Montreal and Laval. Besides, this is the 10th largest city in Quebec, with a population of 113,226.
Open Table for Largest 10 Cities in Quebec by population
Rank City Region. Population
1. Montreal Montreal 1,762,976
2. Quebec. Capitale-Nationale. 538,738
3. Laval. Laval. 431,208
4. Gatineau Outaouais. 281,501
5. Longueuil. Montérégie. 245,033
6. Sherbrooke. Estrie. 165,005
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7. Saguenay. Saguenay–Lac-Sai. 144,989
8 Lévis. Chaudière-Appalaches. 144,808
9. Trois-Rivières Mauricie. 135,863
10. Terrebonne. Lanaudière. 113,226
Quebec Demographics
There are many ethnic groups in Quebec and few visible minority groups. These are shown below.
Visible minority groups that makeup Quebec’s population include:
Black: 3.2%
Arab: 2.2%
Latin American: 1.5%
South Asian: 1.1%
Chinese: 1.1%
Southeast Asian: 0.9%
Filipino: 0.4%
West Asian: 0.3%
Korean: 0.1%
Japanese: 0.1%
Most common ethnic origins That make up the Quebec population
Canadian: 60.1%
French: 28.8%
Irish: 5.5%
Italian: 4.0%
English: 3.3%
North American Indian: 3.0%
Scottish: 2.7%
Quebecer: 1.9%
German: 1.8%
Chinese: 1.2% -Haitian: 1.2%
Spanish: 0.97%
Jewish: 0.96%
Greek: 0.89%
Polish: 0.84%
Lebanese: 0.83%
Other ethnic origins that make up Quebec’s population include, in order of size:
Portuguese
Belgian
East Indian
Romanian
Russian
Moroccan
American
Metis
Vietnamese
Acadian
Ukrainian
African
Filipino
Algerian
British Isles
Armenian
Dutch
Hungarian
Swiss
Egyptian
Salvadoran
Syrian
Colombian
Mexican
Berbers
Inuit
Iranian
Peruvian
Jamaican
Pakistani
Chilean
Turk
Austrian
Sri Lankan
Congolese
Cambodian
Welsh.
Quebec Population Growth Rate
Quebec’s population growth rate is determined by certain factors that bring about an increase in population. These factors are birth rate, death rate, and net migration. But recently, there was a significant reduction in the Quebec population due to specific reasons discussed below.
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Quebec Population Change
There was a significant reduction in the Quebec population between 2019 and 2021. This reduction brought about a decline in Quebec’s population growth rate.
The estimation of the Quebec population was 8,576,000 in March 2021. There was about a 19,300 population increase between 2020 and 2021 March. While between 2019 and 2020, there was a population increase of about 110,000
Therefore, Quebec’s population is reduced because of the COVID-19 pandemic and a few other reasons. However, the reasons are discussed below.
Other Reasons For Quebec Population Decrease
Decline Immigrants
The number of immigrants and non-permanent residents reduced due to COVID-19. Quebec only received 25,200 immigrants between 2020 and 2021. This is less than the 40,600 that was received in 2019.
These declines were due to the border restrictions in place starting mid-March 2020 to curb the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic.
High death rate
The deaths increased to 74,550 in Quebec in 2020, up 10% from the previous year’s 67,800 deaths for a decade.
Therefore, in the last ten years from 2020, only a 2% death rate was recorded due to the aging population.
Low birth rate
According to statistics, in 2020, 81,850 babies were born in Quebec, a 3% decline from 2019 (84,300). The fertility rate was 1.52 children per woman, lower than in 2019 (1.57 children per woman).
Quebec population Projection
Despite the setback in Quebec’s population growth rate, Quebec is still projected to reach a population of 9.2 million by 2056.
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