There are some new trends about Saskatchewan’s population showing up in the latest estimates from StatsCan.
When the report for the end of last year came out a few days ago, StatsCan reported Saskatchewan’s population had risen to a new record high of nearly one-and-a-quarter million. That represented an increase of 6,500 in the last three months of 2023.
But there were a couple tidbits deeper in the report that are worthy of some attention.
First, the pace of people moving from Saskatchewan to other provinces is falling. Out-migration has long been an issue in these parts and while it is still a thing, the rate of people moving out is slowing.
This is especially true of people moving West. The exodus from here to both Alberta and BC declined in this report. Alberta remains the primary destination but the number of people moving there fell to 1,600 in Q4 last year, down a couple thousand from six months earlier.
The other intriguing tidbit centres around fertility rates. Canada hit a new record low in 2024. Saskatchewan, on the hand, was still seeing a positive birth rate.
