CENSUS IS HEARTENING
Statistics Canada confirms Calgary is still brimming with energy, with the federal agency’s census finding the city continues to be the fastest-growing in the nation. The Calgary metropolitan area — which includes satellite communities such as Cochrane, Airdrie and Chestermere — grew 14.6 per cent between 2011 and 2016. Significantly, the survey was conducted in May 2016, during a period when residents and businesses were feeling the full brunt of the economic downturn.
Calgarians are resilient and have felt the sting of economic troubles before. Most people understand the region’s future is bright. The census is proof of Calgary’s desirability, proving people from other parts of Canada and beyond are keen to come and live, work and play in our cosmopolitan city.
Indeed, Calgary is traditionally ranked among the best cities to live in the world. People seem to agree it’s a great place to call home: new houses and apartments increased the number of private addresses by 9.9 per cent compared to the last nose count undertaken by Statistics Canada.
The region’s appeal is so strong that Calgary has overtaken Ottawa-Gatineau as the fourthlargest metropolitan area behind Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. The census finding is more than a boost in confidence. Government funding is often distributed on a percapita basis, so the region’s swelling population should garner a bigger share of department budgets, which is only fair. The area’s population should also be reflected in the number of MLAs it elects to the legislature. A review is underway now to redraw electoral boundaries in time for the 2019 provincial election.
Almost one-third of Canadians now live in the West, reinforcing a trend that has been apparent for some time. The Edmonton metropolitan area is the second-fastest growing in the nation, for example, and Lethbridge is the country’s fifth fastest-growing urban zone. Alberta’s population growth is more than double the national average and is in sharp contrast to tepid growth in East Coast cities and outright declines in some of its towns, as well as predominantly English-speaking parts of Quebec.
Alberta’s healthy growth should also correspond with greater political clout. What was once regarded as a hinterland of the country is now not only its economic engine, but its most popular destination for people on the move.
Growth — especially the sustained development the Calgary area has experienced — presents challenges for planners and politicians, but it brings tremendous opportunities with it. As always, Calgarians and their neighbours in nearby communities have reason to be proud of the prosperous communities they’re creating.