Western Canada leads population growth

The country's population, as of Canada Day 2010, stood at an estimated at 34,108,800, led by growth in Western Canada.

Statistics Canada reported Wednesday that the population on July 1 was up 120,800 from April 1, 2010.

Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba posted the highest rates of population growth among the provinces, the federal government agency said.

Alberta's population rose by 18,500, or 0.5  per cent, to 3,720,900, the highest increase rate among the provinces. Statistics Canada said almost half of the growth in Alberta's population came from natural increase, the highest proportion among the provinces.

Saskatchewan's population rose by 0.47 per cent to an estimated at 1,045,600. Saskatchewan's increase rate trailed only that of Alberta. It was also Saskatchewan's largest growth since the third quarter of 2007.

Manitoba posted an increase of more than 5,100 to 1,235,400, owing mainly to international migration of roughly 4,400 people — the province's highest quarterly number since 1971.