Just like the county’s population according to the federal census, local schools have also seen saw a decrease in their enrollment numbers.
According to statistics from the Northern Lights School Division, local schools saw a 13 per cent decrease in enrollment since 2006. In September 2006, there were 2,390 students enrolled at Central Elementary, Dr. Swift Middle School, École Plamondon School, J.A. Williams High School, Kikino School, Vera M. Welsh, Lac La Biche Outreach and the Youth Assessment Centre. But in September 2011, this number had gone down to 2,067. The only school that didn’t shrink in population was École Plamondon.
The recent federal census shows that Lac La Biche County went from having 9,123 people in 2006 to just 8,402 in 2011, a decrease of 7.9 per cent.
COUNCIL TO DISCUSS CENSUS RESULTS
The school numbers are just one piece of information that Lac La Biche County councillors may want to consider as they further discuss the census results, said councillor Guy Piquette. Because some provincial grants and funding depend on population counts, councillors want to make sure the numbers are accurate, Piquette said.
“It’s an issue council is concerned about,” he said, adding that the census numbers seem off.
“I have a hard time believing our population went down that much, that’s like two hamlets of Plamondon disappearing.”
Council will be discussing the census results in an upcoming meeting, and may be considering doing their own count, Piquette said.
MAYOR REMAINS SURPRISED WITH RESULTS
Peter Kirylchuk says he doesn’t think the federal census is necessarily inaccurate, but remains surprised with the results. If there are about two people per household, Kirylchuk says losing more than 700 people would have been easily noticeable.
“Then there should be at least 300 houses empty,” he said. “But that’s not what I see.”
Instead, Kirylchuk says that it appeared the county was getting busier — just like its neighbours of Athabasca County, the Municipality of Wood Buffalo, and Cold Lake, who all saw increases in their numbers.
“When you have surrounding municipalities and their population increased, it just seems strange to me,” he said. “We’re right in the oil activity in the province.”
Kirylchuk says he doesn’t think the count is necessarily wrong, but would like the issue discussed in council.
“How can you argue with the federal census?” he said. “But as the mayor of this county, I would like to know what’s causing this.”
He added that having an accurate population count is important since provincial funding and grants depend on it.
“It’s always in the best interest of a municipality to have an accurate picture,” he said.
