Local census results show the MD of Bonnyville having the greatest population growth in the region, with the number of residents calling the MD home jumping 31 per cent over the last three years.
The City of Cold Lake's poplulation continues to grow at a fast pace with just under 9.3 per cent growth reported over the last two years. The Town of Bonnyville is the outlier, showing just one per cent population growth in the past two years.
Bonnyville's population has increased by 84 people since 2012, with the numbers jumping from 6,837 to 6,921, according to the town's latest census results.
“The City of Cold Lake's 2014 Municipal Census ended June 30 and the count shows an additional 1,336 people living in the city, bringing the total population up to 15,736,” Cold Lake CAO, Kevin Nagoya, said. “The previous municipal census, conducted in 2012, reported a population of 14,400.”
The MD of Bonnyville gained 3,132 people since 2011, which saw the population jump from 10,101 to 13, 233. The growth is due to a “shadow population” of 1,397, which consists of temporary residents working in the municipality. This includes all people who are employed by a local business for a minimum of 30 days within the 2014 census year. The shadow population in the MD is reportedly about 11 per cent.
Cold Lake and Bonnyville census results do no reflect the shadow population in the region, as only the MD of Bonnyville applied for and received permission from Alberta Municipal Affairs to count the shadow population.
“The Town will be applying to the Minister of Municipal Affairs to have the shadow population included as part of our next municipal census, as 80 locations were indentified in this year's census with occupants that did not meet the Government's residency requirements,” said Bonnyville CAO Mark Power.
“These are residents who temporarily reside in Bonnyville, work here, but whose permanent residency is elsewhere. We need to be able to include these people in our residency count so we can maximize the grant funding for the Town of Bonnyville.”
This was the first year to Town of Bonnyville Census was completed both online and by enumerators. Approximately 28 per cent of residents answered the census online. It was the second time an online platform was used for a Cold Lake census, which saw 36 per cent of people respond online.
Information about gender, age, household status, tenancy and types of residents was also collected during the 2014 Municipal Censuses. This data will be tabulated and released in the near future. Once complete, the census data will be available online at each of the City of Cold Lake, MD of Bonnyville and Town of Bonnyville's websites.
