2011 Census Population - Statistics Canada

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2011 Census Population - Statistics Canada

On February 8, 2012, Statistics Canada released the population numbers from the recent 2011 Census.  These numbers reflect initial estimates of inhabitants of various geographic areas as of May 10, 2011 and will be modified in the coming year as a number of under-represented demographics are interpolated.

Overall, Alberta’s population in 2011 was estimated to be 3,645,257 or an increase of 10.8% over 2006 census figures.  Alberta remains the 4^th largest province in the country by population, but has experienced the highest rate of population growth among provinces (well above the national average of 5.9% growth).

Top 10 Fastest-Growing Cities and Towns

In terms of largest population centres, the cities of Calgary and Edmonton are still predominant, accounting for 52.5% of the provincial total (this rises to 65.1% if you include CMA populations of the two cities).  Five of the ten largest population centres in the province are in the Calgary or Edmonton CMA areas.

REIR Overview

When looking at Regional Economic Indicator Regions (REIRs), it becomes clear that provincial population growth is not uniform across Alberta.  The region experiencing the highest rate of growth is Wood Buffalo at 27.2%, which may not be surprising given the amount of economic activity taking place in the Oil Sands.  The Calgary and Capital regions are next highest in growth at over 12.0% each – this suggests long-term trends towards urbanization are continuing.  Rounding out the top 5 are South Central Region (which includes Lethbridge) and the Peace Country Region at 10.5% and 9.5%, respectively.

Regions experiencing more moderate growth include the Southwest Region at 0.1% (this region includes Crowsnest Pass and Pincher Creek), West Yellowhead at 2.3% growth (west of the Capital region to BC border), and the North Central region also at 2.3% growth (directly north of the Capital region).  The latter two regions have been hit especially hard by contraction of the Forestry sector.

Top 10 Fastest-Growing Cities and Towns

When looking at the list of fastest-growing communities, the most striking fact is that seven out of the top ten are suburbs of either Edmonton (Beaumont, Leduc, Spruce Grove) or Calgary (Chestermere, Airdrie, Okotoks, Cochrane).  This is perhaps a reflection of constraints to city proper growth, especially in Calgary.  These communities also offer lower costs for housing on per square foot basis compared to the large cities.  The other three fastest-growing cities/towns are Blackfalds in the Central Region (36.4% growth), Two Hills in the Northeast Region (31.7% growth), and Coalhurst in the South Central region (28.9% growth).

Top 10 Lowest-Growth Cities and Towns (>3000 People)

The list of lowest-growth cities and towns in Alberta is dominated by centres hit hard by the pullback in Forestry or are tourist areas.  At the top of the list is High Level at -6.3% growth, whose remoteness and lack of a diversified economy make it especially prone to population flight when its primary industries are hard hit.  Jasper townsite pulled back 5.0%, which may be due to development constraints in the national parks, but may also be due to the impacts of the global recession in 2008/2009 on the number of inbound international travelers.  Rounding out the top 5 lowest growth centres include Fairview in Peace Country (-4.1%), Westlock in the North Central Region (-3.7%), and Crowsnest Pass in the Southwest Region (-3.2%).

Detailed Regional Information

Outlined on the next page is a detailed regional table that includes the largest, fastest-growing, and lowest-growth city/town/regional municipality for each REIR region.  The growth rate indicated is the 5-year growth rate from 2006 to 2011.  Municipal districts, summer villages, and first nations designated-areas are not included.

Contact: Michael Parkatti

780-415-48880