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Edmonton sees 'meteoric rise' in latest federal census as population tops 900,000

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The City of Edmonton outpaced many of its neighbours in the federal census count released Wednesday and cracked 900,000 people for the first time.

Within the city limits, Edmonton grew 14.8 per cent since the last federal census in 2011, giving a new population count of 932,546 — making it the fastest growing major city in Canada.

“The whole move (to Edmonton) was a win,” said Marilyn Gray, one of 120,345 people who moved here in the last five years.

That’s a number nearly twice the population of St. Albert and evidence of a strong economy, say experts.

“My husband was (also) able to find work in his field and we were finally able to become homeowners,” said Gray, who moved from Hinton for a communications job in 2012, first to St. Albert, then into a tri-plex in Edmonton’s Oliver neighbourhood.

“We didn’t want to give up the view, but not at the cost of living in poverty.”

Brian McKay, Marilyn Gray and their six-year-old daughter Lyra moved from Hinton to Edmonton within the last census period for more diverse job opportunities.

Brian McKay, Marilyn Gray and their six-year-old daughter, Lyra, moved from Hinton to Edmonton within the last census period for more diverse job opportunities.

In Edmonton, most of the growth was in new suburbs, particularly south of the Anthony Henday. But downtown also added more than 1,000 people, Griesbach added more than 2,000 and several other neighbours such as Pleasantview and Inglewood added a few hundred each.

Other mature neighbourhoods were still losing residents.

That matches the city’s development permit data, said Peter Ohm, head of city planning. Nationally, Edmonton appears to be the only city that grew faster than its surrounding region, said Ohm, crediting the hot economy and supply of open land for new suburbs within the city.

The population within the city limits is still on track to break one million within a decade, said Mayor Don Iveson: “That’s a meteoric rise for Edmonton.”

It’s put pressure on Edmonton’s transportation system, and caused housing prices to increase during the boom, Iveson said. It also calls for more co-ordinated growth with regional municipalities to ensure more compact cities that are efficient to run, he said.

Edmonton outpaced the region overall, but there were pockets of intense growth. Spruce Grove was booming, with 7,895 people pushing the population up by 30.1 per cent since the last census in 2011. Beaumont also saw growth above 30 per cent.

Areas that gained and lost population since the 2011 census.

Areas that gained and lost population since the 2011 census.

Overall, the Edmonton census metropolitan region — stretching from Parkland County to Bruderheim — grew by 13.9 per cent to 1.32 million people since 2011. That’s even faster than the 12 per cent seen during the previous five years and the second fastest rate of growth in Canada after the Calgary census metropolitan area.

The Calgary region overtook the Ottawa-Gatineau region this year, making it the fourth largest census metropolitan area in Canada, with a population of 1.39 million people.

The Edmonton region trailed Ottawa-Gatineau by only 2,357 people on the census date, May 10, 2016.

The numbers surprised Edmonton economist John Rose, who underestimated the city’s population by roughly 20,000.

There’s been some outmigration as Edmonton’s unemployment rate reached 7.4 per cent, he said. But there have been many people moving here from across the country and likely from smaller cities in Alberta.

Plus, Edmonton has a strong natural growth with a large number of people in the 25 to 45 age range starting families.

“We have a very young demographic and I guess you’d say very fertile,” said Rose.

Provincially, Alberta grew 11.6 per cent. That growth was especially strong through the Calgary-Edmonton corridor, said Lisa Zaporzan, a senior demographer with the province.

Fort McMurray and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo saw residential growth rate slow, from 27 per cent during the last census to 9.6 per cent in the last five years.

That’s likely tied to the increased numbers of interprovincial workers flying in for shifts, and the number of projects moving from construction phases to production, said Mark Parsons, provincial assistant minister on economic and fiscal policy.

An emphasis on module construction is also moving jobs to the Nisku, he said: “That ties into the Edmonton-Calgary corridor.”

Morrel Wax moved to Edmonton on Feb. 3, 2016, part of a major in migration that pushed Edmonton's population to 932,546.

Morrel Wax moved to Edmonton in February 2016, part of a major in-migration that pushed Edmonton’s population to 932,546.

Morrel Wax is another new face in Edmonton. He moved here last February from Nebraska for a job fundraising for the University of Alberta.

Edmonton can be “a bit insular,” difficult for an outsider to build relationships, Wax said. But it’s also a good city if you “really put yourself out there.”

“There’s more than just the bar scene,” he said, pointing to his favourite event, the monthly story slam at the Mercury Room, where participants get five minutes to tell an original story and the best walks off with the prize. There’s also live music, poetry and food.

“I’m trying not to let the cold weather beat me,” he said. “There’s no such thing as too cold, only insufficient layers.”

With files from Paula Simons

estolte@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/estolte

Census numbers from the region:

• St. Albert grew to 65,589 people, up 6.7 per cent

• Spruce Grove grew to 34,066 people, up 30.1 per cent

• Stony Plain grew to 17,189 people, up 14.2 per cent

• Enoch First Nation grew to 1,690 people, up 71.2 per cent

• Leduc grew to 29,992 people, up 23.4 per cent

• Strathcona County (including Sherwood Park) grew to 98,044 people, up six per cent

• Fort Saskatchewan grew to 24,149 people, up 26.8 per cent

• Beaumont grew to 17,396 people, up 31 per cent

2016 census graphs.

2016 census graphs.

2016 census graphs.

2016 census graphs.

2016 census graphs.


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