Thunder Bay's 2026 population is now estimated at 118,627. In 2001, the population of Thunder Bay was 113,298. Thunder Bay has grown by 956 in the last year, which represents a 0.81% annual change. These population values and projections come from Statistics Canada Table 17-10-0155-01: Population estimates, July 1, by census subdivision, 2021 boundaries and World Population Review Internal Projections .
Thunder Bay is in Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior. It was once a thriving fur trading village, but has since seen a population explosion making Thunder Bay among the largest cities in all of Ontario. More and more people are moving to the area due to the thriving economy and opportunities for growth that other cities in our current global economy cannot compete with.
The city of Thunder Bay covers a surface area of 447.5 square kilometers (172.8 square miles). The population density comes to approximately 330.1 residents per square kilometer (855 people living per square mile).
The overall population of Thunder Bay stood at 121,621. According to the 2011 census, the population was 121,596. That does not look like a substantial growth and is not compared to other cities, but this growth comes after a decrease according to the previous census. The previous drop was just .4% of the overall population, but a decrease is never good for any economy. The 2016 census gives 93,952 as the most recent population number. Thunder Bay is slowly recovering from its economic downturn and we can expect to see a significant increase by the next census. Thunder Bay is competing with larger and more popular cities such as Calgary and Vancouver, but a growing number of people are abandoning the larger metro cities for smaller cities, bringing Thunder Bay right to the top of the list of Canadian cities that are expected to grow.
Getting around a large city such as Thunder Bay might seem difficult, but it does have a public transportation system that makes travel within the city a breeze. There are 17 different routes throughout Thunder Bay with bus routes taking anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, depending on where you need to get to. There is also another choice for those looking to bypass the overcrowded bus systems. Dial a ride is one of the fastest growing transportation options in Thunder bay. Even though the system is still relatively new in comparison to the public transit, it already services around 7,000 people each month with growth in use noted with each passing year.
Canada is known for being quite diverse, with people from many different cultures, as well as their religious affiliations, represented in the population. Thunder Bay is no exception to that rule. Although 82% of the overall population identifies with some form of Christian denomination, there are many other religions within the city. Within that 82%, 39.8% are Roman Catholic while 39.5% are Protestant. 2.6% of the population follow other Christian denominations including Eastern Orthodox. Other religions apart from Christianity make up just 1% of the overall population, and 17% claim to be of no religious affiliation.
The education of students in Thunder Bay is extremely important. The school systems are divided into different districts throughout the city that offer a range of opportunities for students to start and further their educations. The Lake District is the largest of the districts and includes 22 elementary schools, four secondary schools, and an additional center for adult education. The Thunder Bay Catholic District comes in second with a total of 16 elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools. The final of the three is the Consiel Solaire; it is the smallest of the districts with only one elementary school and one high school.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto | 3,358,275 | 2.64% |
| Montreal | 1,943,903 | 1.49% |
| Calgary | 1,678,073 | 4.04% |
| Edmonton | 1,284,480 | 3.73% |
| Ottawa | 1,218,903 | 2.59% |
| Winnipeg | 870,032 | 2.33% |
| Brampton | 801,732 | 3.08% |
| Mississauga | 768,794 | 0.55% |
| Vancouver | 751,644 | 1.51% |
| Surrey | 731,630 | 3.99% |
| Hamilton | 652,266 | 1.84% |
| Quebec | 602,025 | 1.58% |
| Halifax | 532,856 | 3.1% |
| London | 508,883 | 2.85% |
| Laval | 466,247 | 1.03% |
| Markham | 376,096 | 1.24% |
| Vaughan | 364,031 | 1.53% |
| Kitchener | 338,883 | 4.62% |
| Saskatoon | 328,613 | 3.32% |
| Burnaby | 309,694 | 3.34% |