Saskatchewan’s population is growing a rate we haven’t seen in more than 100 years but, even at that pace, we are not keeping up to the rest of the country.
The latest quarterly estimate of population from StatsCan shows we added almost 10,000 residents from July to the end of September. That’s the equivalent of a new Estevan in three months or an additional Meadow Lake every six weeks.
Historically, Saskatchewan has accounted for three per cent of the country’s population but the growth rate we’re seeing nationally is eclipsing the expansion we’re seeing. So, as a percentage of the nation, we are diminishing in size.
And population is an important metric. We are starting to see things like airline service erode. Alberta, the fastest growing province in the country, will get three new seats in Parliament next time. We won’t see a change, so, our political clout is also shrinking.
While the provincial government is doing its part – staging trade and recruitment missions around the globe – our municipalities are largely silent on this topic as they idly watch their national importance diminish.
