Here's a short story:

The Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 15, 2001. On that day, Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada was 30,007,094. This was a 4% increase over 1996 Census of 28,846,761. In contrast, the official Statistics Canada population estimate for 2001 was 31,021,300. This is considered a more accurate population number than the actual count. 

The following census was the 2006 Census. 

A summary of information about Canada. 

Canada has experienced one of the smallest census-to-census growth rates in its population. From 1996 to 2001, the nation's population increased only 4.0%. The Census counted 30,007,094 people on May 15, 2001, compared with 28,846,761 on May 14, 1996. 

Only three provinces and one territory had growth rates above the national average. Alberta's population soared 10.3%, Ontario gained 6.1% and British Columbia, 4.9%. Nunavut's population rose 8.1%. The population of Newfoundland and Labrador declined for the second consecutive census period. 

Urbanization continued. In 2001, 79.4% of Canadians lived in an urban centre of 10,000 people or more, compared with 78.5% in 1996. Outside the urban centres, the population of rural and small-town areas declined 0.4%. 

In 2001, just over 64% of the nation's population, or about 19,297,000 people, lived in the 27 census metropolitan areas (CMAs), up slightly from 63% in 1996. Seven of these 27 CMAs saw their populations grow at a rate of at least double the national average. The strongest rise, by far, occurred in Calgary. (End of story)

Provide your best guess for the following question. Give ONLY the guess, no other words or explanation.

For example:

Guess: <most likely guess, as short as possible; not a complete sentence, just the guess!>

Here are a few examples of questions and answers:

Question: how many people lived in the metropolitan areas in 2001?
Guess: 19,297,000

Question: what percent of the the country's population was this?
Guess: just over 64%

Question: how many census metropolitan areas?
Guess: 27

Question: does canada have a large increase in population?
Guess: no

Question: when was Census day?
Guess: May 15, 2001

Question: what was the population percentage increase from '96 to 2001?
Guess: 4.0%.

Question: how many people were counted on census day?
Guess: 30,007,094

Question: when was the census before that?
Guess: May 14, 1996.

Question: how many people on that day?
Guess: 28,846,761

Question: did many provinces have above average growths?
Guess: no

Now answer the following question in the same format.

Question: how many did?

three