ImmigrationDBVerified immigration data

Shawinigan

In May 2021, the unemployment rate was 7.5%. The population of Shawinigan, in Canada, was 49,249 in 2021.

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Lower unemployment than 73% of Canadian cities that publish it and dirtier air than 65% of Canadian cities that publish it.

Foreign residents705 peoplecity · Verified 2026-07-15Official source · Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 1512: not Canadian citizens, population in private households, 25% sample data, at CSD grain. This is the exact foreign-citizenship interpretation used for foreign_population_total; it is not immigrant status.
Population49,249 peoplecity · Verified 2026-06-12Official source · Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Shawinigan, CSD 2436003)
Unemployment rate7.5 %city · Verified 2026-07-26Official source · Statistics Canada — 2021 Census Profile, unemployment rate at CSD grain
PM2.5 — annual mean4.325 µg/m³city · Verified 2026-07-15Official source · Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 annual daily-mean station observations, reproducibly aggregated as an arithmetic mean for eligible stations within 25 km of the target city coordinate. This is a derived place observation, not an asserted municipal monitor aggregate.
City area1,022.8 km2city · Verified 2026-06-12Official source · Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Shawinigan, CSD 2436003)
Population density68 people/km²city · Verified 2026-07-15Official source · Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 6: population density per square kilometre at CSD grain. This is the exact CSD value; it is not a CMA or province observation.
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-07-26

Who Shawinigan may suit

Relative profile scores use comparable published values. They are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker53%strong on work, weak on safety · range 39–67% from published values
Skilled employee52%strong on work, weak on safety · range 38–66% from published values
Student48%strong on education, weak on healthcare · range 34–62% from published values
Family56%strong on family, weak on cost · range 42–70% from published values
Retirement58%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 44–72% from published values

Population and city profile

The city covered 1,022.8 km² in 2021. Population density was 68 people per km² in 2021.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Shawinigan residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport98.6%Foreign residents 1.4%

Derived from the published population and foreign-resident counts.

MetricValueVerifiedSource
City area1,022.8 km22026-06-122021Official sourceStatistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Shawinigan, CSD 2436003) Source-backed value
Foreign residents705 people2026-07-152021Official sourceStatistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 1512: not Canadian citizens, population in private households, 25% sample data, at CSD grain. This is the exact foreign-citizenship interpretation used for foreign_population_total; it is not immigrant status. Source-backed value
Population density68 people/km²2026-07-152021Official sourceStatistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 6: population density per square kilometre at CSD grain. This is the exact CSD value; it is not a CMA or province observation. Source-backed value
Population49,249 people2026-06-122021Official sourceStatistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Shawinigan, CSD 2436003) Source-backed value
Population over time22 published observations, 2001–2022
Population in Shawinigan by year, residents48,95050,39551,84053,28520012003200520072009201120132015201720192021202251,579residents

Population fell 2.7% between 2001 and 2022, from 52,986 to 51,579.

Each point keeps the source and period it was published with.

Work and income

Unemployment across cities in CanadaWhere Shawinigan lands among 166 measured cities
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Canada per band224–6336–8Shawinigan 7.5%358–103810–122912–14614–16218–20122–24unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Canada per band

Published unemployment rates for cities in the same country.

MetricValueVerifiedSource
Unemployment rate7.5 %country median 9.4% — 21% below2026-07-262021Official sourceStatistics Canada — 2021 Census Profile, unemployment rate at CSD grain Source-backed value

Climate and air quality

Annual PM2.5 was 4.33 µg/m³ in 2024.

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Shawinigan annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5254.3PM2.5µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in CanadaWhere Shawinigan lands among 137 measured cities
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Canada per band31–2312–3533–4164–5Shawinigan 4.3185–617–818–929–10310–11113–14215–16316–17117–18120–21140–41annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Canada per band

Published annual means from the same national measurement network.

MetricValueVerifiedSource
PM2.5 — annual mean4.325 µg/m³country median 3.6 — 22% above2026-07-152024Official sourceOfficial ECCC/NAPS 2024 annual daily-mean station observations, reproducibly aggregated as an arithmetic mean for eligible stations within 25 km of the target city coordinate. This is a derived place observation, not an asserted municipal monitor aggregate. Source-backed value

Mobility and administration

MetricValueVerifiedSource
Destinations from nearest airport18 count2026-06-13FreshOfficial sourceOpenFlights — routes.dat Source-backed value
Nearest airportYQB code2026-06-13FreshOfficial sourceOurAirports — airports.csv Source-backed value
Distance to nearest airport106.2 km2026-06-13FreshOfficial sourceOurAirports — airports.csv Source-backed value

Worked out from these numbers

Arithmetic on the published values above. Each one names what it assumed.

How international is the population?

1.4% of residents hold a foreign nationality — 705 people of 49,249 people. This counts nationality, not place of birth, so long-settled residents who naturalised are not in it.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

What is the unemployment rate in Shawinigan?

The unemployment rate is 7.5 %. Source: Statistics Canada — 2021 Census Profile, unemployment rate at CSD grain, checked 2026-07-26.

Is the air quality good in Shawinigan?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 4.325 µg/m³. The WHO 2021 guideline is 5 µg/m³ and the EU limit value is 25 µg/m³, so this reading is within the WHO guideline. Source: Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 annual daily-mean station observations, reproducibly aggregated as an arithmetic mean for eligible stations within 25 km of the target city coordinate. This is a derived place observation, not an asserted municipal monitor aggregate., checked 2026-07-15.

How many people live in Shawinigan?

The published population is 49,249 people. Source: Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Shawinigan, CSD 2436003), checked 2026-06-12.

How many foreign residents live in Shawinigan?

705 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 1512: not Canadian citizens, population in private households, 25% sample data, at CSD grain. This is the exact foreign-citizenship interpretation used for foreign_population_total; it is not immigrant status., checked 2026-07-15.

Cities of a similar size in Canada

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Canada cities
Rimouski50,195 residentsChâteauguay50,264 residentsCornwall47,959 residentsVictoriaville47,860 residentsBrandon51,313 residentsMascouche51,774 residents

Sources

Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 1512: not Canadian citizens, population in private households, 25% sample data, at CSD grain. This is the exact foreign-citizenship interpretation used for foreign_population_total; it is not immigrant status.Official source · Checked 2021-05-11Statistics Canada — Census Profile 2021 (Shawinigan, CSD 2436003)Official source · Checked 2026-07-14Statistics Canada — 2021 Census Profile, unemployment rate at CSD grainOfficial source · Checked 2026-07-26Official ECCC/NAPS 2024 annual daily-mean station observations, reproducibly aggregated as an arithmetic mean for eligible stations within 25 km of the target city coordinate. This is a derived place observation, not an asserted municipal monitor aggregate.Official source · Checked 2026-07-15Statistics Canada Census Profile 2021 characteristic 6: population density per square kilometre at CSD grain. This is the exact CSD value; it is not a CMA or province observation.Official source · Checked 2021-05-11OpenFlights — routes.datOfficial source · Checked 2026-07-14

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.