The number of Chinese Canadians is projected to grow also, to around 3.
0 million. But as Chinese women have one of the lowest fertility rates in Canada, the Chinese share of the population is expected to decline.
Black and Filipino populations, which were the third and fourth largest visible minority groups in 2006, meanwhile, could also double in size.
And Arab and West Asian groups could more than triple.
"Between now and 2031, the foreign-born population of Canada could increase approximately four times faster than the rest of the population," reaching between 9.
8 million and 12.5 million, said Statistics Canada.
As well, the number of Canadian-born children and grandchildren of immigrants is expected to "increase rapidly," it said.
Canada's total population now is 33.87 million.
Sustained immigration, combined with "slightly higher fertility and a younger age structure" could nearly double the proportion of visible minorities reported by a 2006 census to up to 32 pe