OTTAWA—Canada’s population grew at a faster rate than many of its peers, rising to over 36.99 million on census day last year despite a historic slowdown caused by COVID-19. Statistics Canada said the national population grew by 5.2 percent between 2016 and 2021, almost double the rate of any other G7 nation and faster than the preceding five-year stretch. The agency said the main reason for the slowdown in growth from a historic high to its lowest rate in a century was border restrictions that, while meant to slow the spread of COVID-19, also slowed the pace of newcomers arriving in Canada, who have been, and remain, critical to maintain growth. Statistics Canada said there were about 1.8 million more people calling the country home in 2021 compared with 2016, with four in every five being immigrants. Federal immigration plans call for 411,000 new permanent residents this year, rising to …