This is a subject we’re going to be capturing a larger share of our conversations in the months and years ahead. And it’s an old story.
The topic is population. StatsCan has just issued a report on interprovincial migration in the country. Saskatchewan, according to the October 1st reporting date, had lost more citizens – nearly 2,800 – to other provinces than any other in the third quarter of the year.
We’ve actually been seeing interprovincial out-migration for several years but it was being offset by higher birth rates and more international immigration – people arriving here from other countries. The COVID pandemic, though, interrupted the flow of immigrants so our headcount is declining.
Regardless, the issue of population is a big one. The future of the Regina Airport for example. First of all, it lost a regular direct flight to the US. Now NavCan is reviewing whether it wants to maintain air traffic control at the provincial capital’s airport….a topic that would never even come up for discussion if Regina had another 100,000 people.
That’s the power of population and we’re on the wrong side of that story right now.
