The West: Leading the country in growth
Alberta and Saskatchewan are booming as both new immigrants and native-born Canadians race to fill jobs in the energy and resource sectors. Alberta saw the fastest growth of all the provinces at 10.8 per cent; Saskatchewan’s was 6.7 per cent. At the municipal level, the four Canadian cities with the highest rates of population growth since 2006 are in Western Canada: Calgary, 12.6 per cent; Edmonton, 12.1 per cent; Saskatoon, 11.4 per cent; and Kelowna, B.C., 10.8 per cent.
Ontario: The looming slump
Once the centre of Canada’s growth, Ontario is still growing at a healthy rate, 5.7 per cent, but nowhere near the pace it once boasted. Faced with diminishing job prospects in the manufacturing and auto sector, Ontarians are migrating to other provinces after the fallout from the recession. That, coupled with lower levels of immigration, means it’s the only province that didn’t see an increase in population growth. Toronto’s growth rate increased by 4.5 per cent, but the real change was in Brampton, which jumped by 20.8 per cent, fuelled by an influx of immigrants from South Asia and, in particular, expansion in the Sikh community.
Quebec: A shrinking share
Quebec saw its share of the Canadian population slide further, as it has for several years. It’s now down to 23.6 per cent from 29 per cent in 1951. (By contrast, Ontario’s share climbed from 32.8 per cent in 1951 to 38.4 per cent in 2011.) Still, Quebec’s population did increase 4.7 per cent, thanks to higher levels of immigration and fertility.
Atlantic Canada: Turning it around
Population growth is up in the East but still remains below the national average of 5.9 per cent. Newfoundland and Labrador’s new status as a have province is evident: For the first time since the period from 1981 to 1986, the province’s growth rate showed an increase, 1.8 per cent, with fewer people leaving for job markets in Central Canada and the Prairies. That faster growth was also present in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, which both saw higher numbers of immigrants.
The North: Stark contrast
Yukon showed the highest rate of growth nationally, with the population increasing 11.7 per cent between 2006 and 2011. At the same time, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut did not experience an increase: Nunavut’s population growth rate slowed slightly to 8.3 per cent from 10.2 per cent in 2006, while NWT remained flat.
