When the monthly job report is prepared by StatsCan, one bit of data they include is how the population is changing.
This particular metric is usually ignored or overlooked as we tend to focus on the way the labour market is changing. Nonetheless, this information can help us understand where things are headed in a macro-sense.
Last week’s report for May showed the working age population – that’s people 15 years and older – grew by 2,300 in the month which put it 27,000 higher than where we were at this time last year. It remains clear that Saskatchewan’s population expansion is not letting up as we added roughly the equivalent of the population of Moose Jaw to Saskatchewan in the past twelve months.
The monthly report does not break down where those new residents are choosing to live but other data suggest the larger cities are the primary magnet for these new arrivals. And it does not say where they are coming from but international immigration remains the primary driver while provinces such as Ontario are experiencing greater out-migration as people look for less expensive options.
