Despite Economy, Alberta’s Population Keeps Growing
- July 7, 2015
- By Cody Battershill
Despite Economic Slowdown, Alberta’s Population Just Keeps Growing, and Growing...
Alberta – one of Canada’s most prosperous provinces – seems to be going against the grain in terms of population growth as you would think that the economic slowdown tied to low energy prices would keep its population growth rate at a standstill.
However, the Alberta Treasury Board and Finance’s “Quarterly Population Report” for the first quarter of 2015 shows that Alberta is once again a leader in population growth across the nation.
As of April 1st, 2014, Alberta’s population has grown from approximately 4,087,000 to 4,175,000 people a year later, nearly a 2.2 percent increase. To put things into perspective, Canada’s growth rate was just below 1 percent during the same time frame.
Also mentioned is the fact that many people moving west are young including many women who are in their prime childbearing years which help to keep the amount of births higher than deaths. Alberta is a very young province with a median age of 36.5 – 3.5 lower than the national average of 40 years old (2011).
Interprovincial migration a big factor
The fall of oil prices seen throughout the last half of 2014 and into 2015 undoubtedly caused gloomy forecasts for Alberta’s energy-focused economy. Suddenly big oil companies were cutting jobs, and with it, opportunity for interprovincial and international migrants to fill those spots.
But people from across Canada continue to roll into Alberta in search of a new way of life.
In the first quarter of 2015, Alberta and British Columbia were the only two provinces in all of Canada to gain population as a result of interprovincial migration exchanges.
During that time nearly 6,700 people made their way to the province from others, a reduction from the 9,700 seen for the same time frame in 2014 but understandable due to the economic situation.
More Alberta Population Statistics:
- Alberta population growth rate leads all provinces in Canada for the 17th consecutive quarter
- 0.4 percent increase between January 1st and April 1st, 2015, up about 15,400 people
- Compared to the same quarter in 2014, that’s down 0.7 percent from 26,900 people
- Net international migration rate for first quarter second lowest ever recorded – only 1000 people.
- Compared to the same quarter in 2014, that’s down substantially from 9,700 people
- The lowest level seen for net international migration was in 1991, with an addition of only 600 people
*Information sourced from Statistics Canada, Conference Board of Canada
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