Census 2016 released: Data shows Medicine Hat’s population outpaced national growth rate

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Medicine Hat’s population was 63,260 in May 2016, up from 60,005 in 2011. 

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“You always want to see some growth and Medicine Hat’s traditionally been not as much of a bust and boom city as the rest of Alberta,” said Mayor Ted Clugston.

“We’ve always had more of that steady growth and that’s good for the economy.”

The growth also means an increase of government funding.

“We get between $250 to $260 per person,” said Clugston.

While the national census is conducted every five years the city does it’s own census every two years. In past years the federal census has shown a smaller population than the city’s census. 

Clugston said that’s because the national census doesn’t always count students or military families.This year however the federal census shows 242 more people than the 2015 city census. City Clerk, Angela Cruickshank said the city now needs to decide if it’s worth conducting the 2017 city wide census or if they should use the federal numbers.

“We would look at whether the cost to do the census is worth the amount of people that we find, in relation to how much funding we get for those people,” she said, adding that a decision will likely be made this month because the census is slated to take place in April.

Meanwhile the national census showed population levels in Alberta had the highest increase since 2011, with an 11.6 per cent population increase to bring the total population to 4,067,175. Saskatchewan was second with 6.3 per cent, and Manitoba was third at 5.8 per cent.

In other local areas, Cypress County showed a 6.2 per cent increase in population in 2016, growing to a population of 7,662.  Redcliff’s population increased by 12 people since 2011, sitting at an even 5,600 in 2016. The population of Brooks was 14,451, a 5.7 per cent increase from 2011.

Bow Island, however, showed a 2.1 per cent population decrease from 2011. The census reported 1,983 living in the town in 2016, compared to 2,025 in 2011.