Estimates have Medicine Hat up by 346 people to 65,527

The City of Medicine Hat’s population rose by 346 people in 2020, according to an estimate used by Alberta Municipal Affairs to determine per-capita grants and programming amounts.

The government announced that municipal census figures would no longer be considered in the calculations for the 2019-20 budget.

This year, the ministry will use its own estimated figures, which were published Monday.

For Medicine Hat the new figure is 65,527, up from the estimate of 65,181 in 2019, equating to about 0.5 per cent growth.

The City of Medicine Hat last conducted a municipal census in 2015 and determined the population to be 63,018, up nearly 2,000 from three years early.

A municipal census planned for 2020 was cancelled shortly after the MGA change was announced.

That data also includes demographics and more localized population densities, which planners say helps guide decisions such as road upgrades and school districting.

The next federal census, which would include that information, is scheduled to be conducted this year, and the results released in 2022.

The current provincial list shows Medicine Hat is the eighth most populated city in Alberta. An overall total for the province is not provided.

The Hat would fall to 10th if specialized municipalities like Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) and Strathcona county (Sherwood Park), are included.

Other municipalities in the region mostly saw numbers increase.

Redcliff’s was up 40 to 5,955. However, Cypress County saw a decrease of 97 to sit at 7,803, and the County of Forty Mile’s new figure of 3,724 is 59 fewer than the previous year.

Bow Island’s population increased by six people to 2,054, and Foremost was up by one to 558.

Other locations of local interest were the M.D. of Acadia (down six to 490), Empress (down two to 134), and Special Areas No. 2 (down 36 to 1,973).

The City of Brooks population sits at 15,713, up 92 from the 2019 figure.

Other city population figures were Calgary (1.362 million) Edmonton (1.048 million, not including a metro area, followed by Red Deer

(106,736), Lethbridge

(101,324), Airdrie (75,707), Grande Prairie (69,355) and St. Albert (69.335).

Strathcona County’s population is stated as 103,166, and Wood Buffalo’s 74,158.