Saskatchewan was at the top of the heap when Statistics Canada released its first round of results - those related to population - from the 2011 Census last week.
Saskatchewan showed the greatest turnaround in its growth rate among the provinces and territories between 2006 and 2011.
The census numbers prove that more people are now moving into the province than moving out.
"After negative population growth (-1.1 per cent) between 1996 to 2001 and 2001 to 2006, Saskatchewan saw its growth exceed the national average between 2006 and 2011, at 6.7 per cent. This level was the third largest among Canada's provinces, behind two other Western provinces, Alberta (+10.8 per cent) and British Columbia (+7.0 per cent)," Statistics Canada noted on its website.
"With this strong growth, Saskatchewan's population topped 1 million in the 2011 Census, an increase of more than 65,000 people from 2006. Saskatchewan had reached the 1 million mark once before in census history, in 1986," it continued.
Saskatchewan's official population number was listed as 1,033,381.
Statistics Canada credited an increased influx of immigrants and interprovincial migratory gains for the increase.
The province received more than 28,000 immigrants between 2006 and 2011, compared with approximately 9,500 between 2001 and 2006.
Saskatchewan also had net gains of almost 12,000 interprovincial migrants in the past five years, whereas it recorded net losses of 35,000 people during the previous intercensal period (2001 to 2006).
"Saskatchewan has gone from a province where people were moving out to a province where people are choosing to stay and moving in," stated Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall in a news release issued last week. "That is because of our growing economy, plenty of job opportunities and our great quality of life.... Saskatchewan is simply the best place in Canada to live, to work, to raise a family and to build a life. More and more people are now discovering that and it is why our population is growing."
Saskatchewan cities have grown by 8.4 per cent, towns by eight per cent, villages by 4.7 per cent, First Nations by 15. 7 per cent and northern communities by 3.2 per cent. Rural Municipalities and Resort Villagessaw populations drop by about 0.9 per cent each.
The census also shows that the population of Canada as a whole has risen - it went up from 31.6 million in 2006 to 33.5 million in 2011.
The 33,476,688 people who were enumerated in the census on May 10, 2011 is almost twice as many people as in 1961, when Canada was experiencing a major baby boom. It is also about 10 times as many people as in the 1861 Census, a few years before the signing of the British North America Act that created the Canadian Confederation, when 3.2 million people were enumerated in the census.
Though the Canadian population remains the smallest among the G8, it is, by far, the fastest growing, with a 5.9 per cent growth rate in the past five years that not only exceeds the 4.4 per cent rise in the U.S., but also Canada's own previous increase of 5.4 per cent between 2001 and 2006.
Locally, the populations of many municipalities in the Humboldt area - town, villages and rural - were up as well.
This is a far cry from the situation in 2001, when Humboldt and Tisdale were the only Saskatchewan towns in this part of the province to show growth, and in 2006, when most of the municipalities in this region - all the towns, all the villages but Annaheim, and all the RMs except the RM of Lake Lenore - lost population.
According to the 2011 census, Humboldt's population is definitely up, by nearly 1,000 people. And so is the population of nearly all towns, villages and First Nations in this part of the province. But the population of local rural municipalities (RMs) is, for the most part, still declining.
Towns
The population of towns in the Humboldt region went up, for the most part, between under one per cent and over 15 per cent.
Birch Hills' population went up 13.8 per cent from 935 to 1,064 in 440 private dwellings.
Bruno's population went up six per cent, from 495 to 574 in 294 private dwellings.
Colonsay's population went up 11.8 per cent, from 425 to 475 in 202 private dwellings.
Cudworth's population rose 4.3 per cent from 738 to 770 in 357 private dwellings.
Foam Lake's population increased by 2.2 per cent from 1,123 to 1,148 in 599 private dwellings.
Kinistino's population rose by 100 people - from 643 to 743, or 15.6 per cent in 305 private dwellings.
Lanigan's population went up 12.7 per cent from 1,233 to 1,390 in 584 private dwellings.
LeRoy's population went from 412 to 427 - an increase of 3.6 per cent. Private dwellings number 195.
Naicam's numbers actually dropped 0.6 per cent, from 690 to 686 in 346 private residences.
Nokomis' population also dropped, from 404 to 397, a decline of 1.7 per cent. A total of 220 private dwellings are located in the town.
Rosthern's population went up 13.7 per cent, from 1,382 to 1,572. The town has 731 private residences.
Wakaw gained over 100 new residents in five years, increasing its population from 864 to 985 or 14 per cent. There are 473 private dwellings in the town.
Watrous saw an increase of 6.5 per cent in its population, rising from 1,743 residents to 1,857. There are 862 private dwellings in the community.
Watson hit a lucky population number - 777 - in 2011, up from 719 in 2006. That's an increase of 8.1 per cent. The town has 364 private dwellings.
Wynyard saw an increase of 1.3 per cent, with its population rising from 1,744 to 1,767. There are 913 private dwellings in the community.
Villages
Dafoe and Muenster were the fastest growing towns in the Humboldt area, according to the 2011 census.
Dafoe's population went up by a huge 50 per cent, from 10 residents to 15 in eight private dwellings.
And Muenster's population went up a whopping 23.4 per cent - from 342 residents to 422 in 172 private dwellings.
Annaheim's population rose by 0.5 per cent from 218 to 219 in 93 private dwellings.
Beatty's grew by 3.3 per cent, going from 61 residents to 63 in 27 private dwellings.
Englefeld's population rose 8.8 per cent, from 227 to 247 residents in 105 private dwellings.
Meacham experienced a 20 per cent rise in its population, going from 70 residents to 84 in 38 private dwellings.
Prud'homme's population went up from 167 to 172, a rise of three per cent. The village has 86 private residences.
Simpson's population rose from 118 residents to 131 - an increase of 11 per cent. Their private dwellings number 76.
St. Benedict's population increased by 5.1 per cent from 78 residents to 82, living in 52 private dwellings.
St. Brieux's population exploded by 19.9 per cent, going from 492 residents to 590. Private dwellings total 235.
St. Louis' population went up 4.2 per cent from 431 to 449. There are 162 private dwellings in that village.
Viscount gained one person to go from 251 to 252 residents - an increase of 0.4 per cent. There are 128 private dwellings in Viscount.
One village had its population stay absolutely even - Plunkett's remained at 75 residents living in 42 private dwellings.
The population of some villages actually dropped between 2006 to 2011.
Middle Lake was one of the few villages to experience a decline in population, going from 277 residents in 2006 to 242 residents in 2011, a drop of 12.6 per cent. Private residences number 119.
Pilger's population also dropped from 74 to 65 - a decrease of 12.2 per cent in 35 private residences.
Lake Lenore's population was another that dropped - from 306 to 297 or 2.9 per cent - in 133 private dwellings.
Jansen's population dropped 10 per cent, from 140 to 126 residents in 69 private dwellings.
The population of Young dropped 9.1 per cent, from 263 to 239. The village has 150 private dwellings.
Elfros' population dropped 12.7 per cent, from 110 residents to 96 in 53 private dwellings.
Quill Lake also has fewer people living there - the population dropped one per cent from 413 to 409 in 224 private dwellings.
RMs
The RM of Humboldt was one of the few RMs in the Humboldt region to show an increase in population, from 842 to 885 or 5.1 per cent. Private dwellings in the RM total 373.
The population of the RM of Lake Lenore rose again, from 513 to 536 or 4.5 per cent. Private dwellings number 282.
The rest of the RMs in this part of Saskatchewan saw population decreases.
The RM of Bayne's population decreased from 505 to 493, a loss of 2.4 per cent, in 223 private dwellings.
The RM of Big Quill's population went down 7.6 per cent, from 635 to 587 in 288 private dwellings.
The RM of Colonsay's population dropped from 275 to 240 or 12.7 per cent. Total private dwellings number 108.
The RM of Elfros' population went down from 501 to 432 or 13.8 per cent in 227 private dwellings.
The RM of Foam Lake's population dropped one per cent from 593 to 587 in 477 private dwellings.
The RM of Fish Creek's numbers also dropped one percent, from 307 to 304 in 124 private dwellings.
The RM of Hoodoo's population dropped from 804 to 706 or 12.2 per cent in 763 private dwellings.
The RM of Kinistino's population decreased by 25.5 per cent, from 713 to 531 in 208 private dwellings.
The RM of Lakeside's population went down from 444 to 387 or 12.8 per cent in 153 private dwellings.
The RM of Lakeview's population went down 14.5 per cent, from 393 to 336 in 166 private dwellings.
The RM of LeRoy's population declined by 9.9 per cent from 544 to 490 in 206 private dwellings.
The RM of Manitou Lake experienced a 7.3 per cent decline in population, from 590 residents to 547 in 214 private dwellings.
The RM of Prairie Rose lost 11.3 per cent of their population, dropping from 292 to 259 in 105 private dwellings.
The RM of St. Louis' population went down 14.2 per cent from 1,130 to 969. Private dwellings total 388.
The RM of St. Peter lost 12.3 per cent of its population - number of residents dropped from 901 to 790 living in 294 private dwellings.
The RM of Three Lakes had its population drop 5.9 per cent, from 659 to 620 in 284 private dwellings.
The RM of Usborne lost 19 people, going from 566 to 547 or 3.4 per cent of its population in 246 private dwellings.
The RM of Viscount lost 3.9 per cent of its population, dropping from 386 to 371 residents in 171 private residences.
The RM of Wolverine lost 3.3 per cent of its population, dropping from 480 to 464. Total private dwellings number 199.
Resort villages
Leslie Beach's population went from 30 to 23, a drop of 23.3 per cent. Private dwellings number 125.
Manitou Beach's population rose from 233 to 257, an increase of 10.3 per cent. There are 363 private dwellings at that resort.
Wakaw Lake lost 14.3 per cent of its population, dropping from 35 residents to 30. Private dwellings total 124.
First Nations
Day Star's population dropped from 168 to 155 - a total of 7.7 per cent - in 53 private dwellings.
Fishing Lake's population rose from 381 to 489, or 28.3 per cent in 149 private dwellings.
Gordon's population went from 866 to 1,017 - an increase of 17.4 per cent in 261 private dwellings.
James Smith's population actually dropped from 708 to 674 or 4.8 per cent. Private dwellings number 132.
Muskoday's population grew by 24.4 per cent from 553 residents to 688 residents in 214 private dwellings.
Muskowekwan's population went up 24.2 per cent from 488 to 606 in 169 private residences.
Yellowquill saw a 30.2 per cent increase in population, going from 420 residents to 547. Private dwellings number 119.
