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Latin American Population in Canada Nearly Triples Over Two Decades, StatCan Finds
A new Statistics Canada portrait shows the community reached 726,820 people in 2021, with Colombia and Brazil among the most common countries of birth for those born in South America.
Published: July 28, 2026
A new Statistics Canada analysis finds that the Latin American population in Canada grew to 726,820 people in 2021, nearly triple the 251,585 recorded two decades earlier, raising their share of the national population from 0.9 percent to 2 percent. The report, part of a series of portraits on racialized groups developed to support Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy, is based primarily on the 2021 Census.
Among Latin Americans in Canada, more than a quarter were born in the country itself, while 38.6 percent were born in South America, most commonly Colombia and Brazil. Immigration patterns have shifted over time, with refugees making up most arrivals from the 1980s through the early 1990s and economic immigrants becoming the largest category since the 2000s. Ontario is home to the largest share of Latin Americans overall, though Quebec has the highest concentration of those born in Colombia and Peru.
The study also found that Latin Americans aged 25 to 54 are more likely than the general population to hold a bachelor's degree, yet also more likely to be overqualified for their jobs and to report experiencing discrimination. Statistics Canada said the findings are intended to help inform policy on housing, education and employment outcomes for the country's growing Latin American communities.
