The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that Canada's population fell by 55,000 people in the first quarter of 2026, a third consecutive quarterly decline that is being driven by the government's efforts to reduce the number of temporary residents in the country. The Globe's Vanmala Subramaniam writes that as of April 1, the country's population was 41.4 million people, including citizens, permanent and temporary residents, according to Statistics Canada. By contrast, a year ago, Canada's population was 0.5 per cent higher, at 41.6 million people. The statistical agency estimated that the number of temporary residents decreased by 118,000 people in the first quarter of 2026, a 4.4-per-cent decline over three months. This brings the total number of temporary residents in Canada to 2.56 million. Their ranks peaked at 3.15 million in late 2024. The natural population growth of most Western countries -- births versus deaths -- has been in decline for decades. On a full-year basis, the natural change in Canada's population has never been negative. However, that could change soon. BMO senior economist Robert Kavcic projects that the natural population change is expected to turn negative for the first time in 2028.