Nova Scotia's population has never been higher, according to a new report from the provincial government.

New statistics from Statistics Canada, distributed by the province, put the population at 945,842 people as of Jan. 1, 2016.

The numbers are highlighted in a quarterly report looking at population estimates.

This latest number is a few hundred greater than the earlier peak population five years ago.

Oct. 1, 2011 the population grew to 945,598 people.

Since April 1, 2015 Nova Scotia's population has increased by 3,458.

There are several factors leading to this increase, immigration numbers are up, with Syrian refugees arriving, along with other new Canadians.

The report states that Nova Scotia received 910 immigrants during the fourth quarter of 2015, this follows 1,071 immigrants who arrived in Nova Scotia in the third quarter of 2015.

Immigration levels have not been this high since the mid 1990s.

Inter-provincial migration numbers changed, too. More people left the province than arrived, but the rate was the slowest in five years.