In 2020, there were 1,021,356 registered Indians in Canada. Between 2000 and 2020, the number of registered Indians in Canada experienced an increase, going from some 670 thousand to over one million.

Registered Indians Registered Indians in Canada are all First Nations people who are, as the name suggests, registered as an officially recognized Indian by the Canadian government. No Inuit or Métis is a Registered Indian under Canadian law, leaving only certain First Nations peoples as qualifiers. The word “Indian” is a legal term in this case and has otherwise fallen out of favor. It has been replaced by First Nations, a term used to describe all Canadian aboriginal people who are neither Métis nor Inuit.

Registered Indian status affords benefits and rights not granted to non-Registered Indians including access to reserves and self-governance within them, exemption of federal and provincial taxes to those living on reserve, and postsecondary education financial assistance. The Indian Act of 1951 established the current Indian Register and was revised in 1985 to include people that had been wrongly excluded by the original law.

The number of Registered Indians has grown significantly since 2000 and currently the largest population resides in Ontario, which also has the largest overall population of aboriginal peoples in Canada. British Columbia is home to the largest number of Indian bands, at 199 in 2020.

In 2023, almost ******* Indian nationals got permanent residence in Canada. Out of this, ** percent were women. Canada is one of the leading countries hosting Indian migrant population.

Key information about Canada population

• The Canada population reached 41.7 million people in Jun 2025, compared with the previously reported figure of 41.3 million people in Jun 2024
• The data reached an all-time high of 369.3 million people in Feb 1992 and a record low of -7.6 million people in May 2016

*This indicator will be no longer available from March 2026, 4th onwards. CEIC has a plan to remove the non-standard frequency indicator after the standard frequency indicator has been added and be available on this table. CEIC extends history for annual Population. Statistics Canada provides Mid-year Population. Postcensal estimates, which are based on the latest Census counts adjusted for Census Net Undercoverage (CNU), including adjustment for Incompletely Enumerated Indian Reserves (IEIR) and the components of demographic growth that occurred since that census. Intercensal estimates are produced using counts from two consecutive censuses adjusted for CNU (including (IEIR) and postcensal estimates) Population prior to 1971 is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. Population is in annual frequency, ending in June of each year.


Further information about Canada population data

• In the latest reports, Canada Unemployment Rate dropped to 6.9 % in Oct 2025
• Monthly earnings of the Canada population was 3,808.3 USD in Sep 2025
• Canada Labour Force Participation Rate remained the same rate at 65.0 % in Oct 2025

Contained within the 5th Edition (1978 to 1995) of the National Atlas of Canada is a map that shows distribution of Indians and Inuit using several types of symbols to represent population in 1976.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the population of Canadian by race. It includes the population of Canadian across racial categories (excluding ethnicity) as identified by the Census Bureau. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of Canadian across relevant racial categories.

Key observations

The percent distribution of Canadian population by race (across all racial categories recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau): 87.26% are white, 3.30% are American Indian and Alaska Native and 9.43% are multiracial.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2018-2022 5-Year Estimates.

Racial categories include:

• White
• Black or African American
• American Indian and Alaska Native
• Asian
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
• Some other race
• Two or more races (multiracial)

Variables / Data Columns

• Race: This column displays the racial categories (excluding ethnicity) for the Canadian
• Population: The population of the racial category (excluding ethnicity) in the Canadian is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the percentage distribution of each race as a proportion of Canadian total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Canadian Population by Race & Ethnicity. You can refer the same here

This map shows the distribution of the North American Indian population. The largest number of North American Indians live in Ontario (118 830); they make up 80% of the total Aboriginal population of that province. They are distributed in the large agglomerations of the south, but also in the north and west of the province. In British Columbia, 77% of Aboriginal people are Indians (113 315). These two provinces account for 42% of the Indian population in Canada. The three Prairie Provinces are home to another 42% of the North American Indian population.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the population of Little Canada by race. It includes the population of Little Canada across racial categories (excluding ethnicity) as identified by the Census Bureau. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of Little Canada across relevant racial categories.

Key observations

The percent distribution of Little Canada population by race (across all racial categories recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau): 62.74% are white, 8.35% are Black or African American, 0.32% are American Indian and Alaska Native, 13.62% are Asian, 5.59% are some other race and 9.38% are multiracial.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Racial categories include:

• White
• Black or African American
• American Indian and Alaska Native
• Asian
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
• Some other race
• Two or more races (multiracial)

Variables / Data Columns

• Race: This column displays the racial categories (excluding ethnicity) for the Little Canada
• Population: The population of the racial category (excluding ethnicity) in the Little Canada is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the percentage distribution of each race as a proportion of Little Canada total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Little Canada Population by Race & Ethnicity. You can refer the same here

There were 199 Indian bands in British Columbia in 2020, the region with the highest number of Indian bands in Canada. Ontario followed with 126. In total, there were 619 Indian bands in Canada that year.

In 2001, 976305 people in Canada identified themselves as Aboriginal (North American Indian, Métis, Inuit or people who otherwise indicated they are Registered or Treaty Indians and/or are members of a Band or First Nation). They accounted for 3.3% of the nation’s total population, compared with 2.8% in 1996. Nearly half of the Aboriginal population (49%) lived in urban areas in 2001, while 31% lived on Indian Reserves or in Indian Settlements, and 20% lived in rural, non-reserve areas. Most of the Indian Reserves are located in the areas of Canada covered by the numbered and other treaties from pre-Confederation to 1923. A separate inset map shows the areas covered by Historical Indian Treaties.

The map shows the distribution of the population by census subdivision who identified themselves in the 2006 Census as North American Indian. According to the 2006 Census, 698 025 people identified themselves as North American Indian also referred to as 'First Nations people'.

Indigenous identity by Registered or Treaty Indian status, residence by Indigenous geography, age and gender for the population in private households.

Contained within the 5th Edition (1978 to 1995) of the National Atlas of Canada is a map that shows distribution of Indians and Inuit using several types of symbols to represent population in 1976.

The provide detailed statistical tables for 18 scenarios by single year of the projection period (2001 to 2017). For each of the scenarios, data are available for persons who identify with each of the following three groups: the North American Indian population, the Métis or the Inuit. All three groups were projected separately for each of the ten provinces and three territories. However, the subprovincial and subterritorial level shown for the three groups varies as it depends on the groups' size. For the North American Indians, future numbers were calculated for the urban parts of all census metropolitan areas (CMAs), urban areas outside CMAs, rural areas and reserves. For the Métis, places of residence were grouped into urban parts of CMAs, urban areas outside CMAs and rural areas, which also include reserves. Because of their relatively small size, the Inuit population was projected separately for urban and rural locations only. This information is further broken down by age and sex. The 18 scenarios, as well as scenario-specific assumptions on the future trend in fertility and internal migration, are presented in the table below. In addition to these two components of population growth, all scenarios assumed declining mortality and negligible importance of international migration to the change of the size of three Aboriginal groups. The statistical tables of this CD-ROM are organized into three sections: Aboriginal groups - The projected population by Aboriginal group, type of residence, province/territory and sex for the 18 scenarios by single year from 2001 to 2017; Age and sex - The projected population by Aboriginal group, type of residence, age group and sex for the 18 scenarios by single year from 2001 to 2017; and Province/territory - The projected total Aboriginal population by province/territory, age group, sex and type of residence for the 18 scenarios for 2001 and 2017. The statistical tables are supplementary to the publication Projections of the Aboriginal populations, Canada, provinces and territories: 2001 to 2017 (catalogue no. 91-547).

In 2024, over ** percent of Indian students' search interest was inclined toward business study programs in Canada. Health sciences followed, garnering more student interest than engineering.

Contained within the 4th Edition (1974) of the Atlas of Canada is a map that shows the Indian and Inuit population as a percentage of the total national population by census division as of 1961. The outmoded name Eskimo is used on this 1974 map to denote Canada's Inuit peoples. The locations and populations of Indian communities both on and off reserve is denoted along with Inuit community locations and populations as of 1961. A supplementary graph showing changes in the Indian and Inuit population for 1800 to 1969 is provided.

This service shows the percentage of the population who reported an Aboriginal identity by census subdivision. The data is from the Census Profile, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001. Aboriginal identity refers to whether the person identified with the Aboriginal peoples of Canada. This includes those who are First Nations (North American Indian), Métis or Inuk (Inuit) and/or those who are Registered or Treaty Indians (that is, registered under the Indian Act of Canada) and/or those who have membership in a First Nation or Indian band. Aboriginal peoples of Canada are defined in the Constitution Act, 1982, section 35 (2) as including the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada. Users should be aware that the estimates associated with this variable are more affected than most by the incomplete enumeration of certain Indian reserves and Indian settlements in the 2016 Census of Population. For additional information refer to the 2016 Census Dictionary for 'Aboriginal identity'. To have a cartographic representation of the ecumene with this socio-economic indicator, it is recommended to add as the first layer, the “NRCan - 2016 population ecumene by census subdivision” web service, accessible in the data resources section below.

This dataset tracks annual american indian student percentage from 1991 to 2015 for La Canada Elementary School vs. California and Lompoc Unified School District

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the population of New Canada town by race. It includes the population of New Canada town across racial categories (excluding ethnicity) as identified by the Census Bureau. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of New Canada town across relevant racial categories.

Key observations

The percent distribution of New Canada town population by race (across all racial categories recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau): 74.50% are white, 0.25% are Asian, 19.80% are some other race and 5.45% are multiracial.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2018-2022 5-Year Estimates.

Racial categories include:

• White
• Black or African American
• American Indian and Alaska Native
• Asian
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
• Some other race
• Two or more races (multiracial)

Variables / Data Columns

• Race: This column displays the racial categories (excluding ethnicity) for the New Canada town
• Population: The population of the racial category (excluding ethnicity) in the New Canada town is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the percentage distribution of each race as a proportion of New Canada town total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for New Canada town Population by Race & Ethnicity. You can refer the same here

This dataset tracks annual american indian student percentage from 1988 to 2020 for Little Canada Elementary School vs. Minnesota and Roseville Public School District

Data on the immigrant population by place of birth, period of immigration, gender and age for the population in private households in Canada.