The Canadian government said that the population of Canada increased by more than one million people for the first time ever last year.

Statistics Canada also said that the country's population increased from 38,516,138 to 39,566,248 people.

This recorded the highest annual population growth rate in Canada, at 2.7 percent, since 1957.

Statistics Canada said the increase was partly driven by government efforts to bring immigrants into the country to alleviate labor shortages.

Canada also relies on immigration to support its aging population.

However, Statistics Canada said that the increase in the number of permanent and temporary migrants could "also pose additional challenges for some regions of the country related to housing, infrastructure, transportation, and service delivery to the population."

According to the press release, international migration accounted for nearly 96 percent of the population growth.

For his part, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made efforts to attract more immigrants to the country since assuming office in 2015. Last year, the government announced a plan to welcome half a million immigrants annually by 2025.

The Canadian government also accepts people affected by conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and the 2023 earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

On Wednesday, it announced an extension until July for the program temporarily resettling Ukrainians and their family members.

So far, more than 600,000 applications out of nearly one million received have been approved. More than 130,000 people have arrived in Canada under this initiative.

Additionally, the previous highest population increase in Canada was in 1957 due to the post-World War II baby boom and refugee movements following the Hungarian Revolution.

The country welcomed 437,000 immigrants in 2022, while the number of temporary residents in the country increased by 607,782 immigrants, representing "a record year in processing immigration applications," according to the government press release.

The population increase also means that Canada will rank first among the 38 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2022 for population growth, while also being the fastest-growing country in the G7 according to Statistics Canada.

The government added that if Canada maintains the 2.7 percent increase each year, its population will double within 26 years.