Saskatchewan’s population continues to grow at a steady pace despite lower oil prices, according to the latest population figures released by Statistics Canada on Tuesday.
The province had 1,133,637 residents as of July 1, an increase of 3,100 since April 1. The new population number is slightly lower than the number initially reported last quarter, but that’s because Statistics Canada recently revised all of its population estimates back to 2011.
Even with the revised numbers, Saskatchewan’s population has grown in every quarter for the past nine years.
Saskatchewan’s rate of population growth was the third-strongest among the provinces over the past year and fourth-strongest in the past quarter.
Premier Brad Wall said the continued steady growth shows the strength and resilience of Saskatchewan’s economy.
“Even with the challenges facing the oil industry this year, people continue to see Saskatchewan as a great place to work and live,” Wall said. “This is a big change from a few years ago when a slower resource sector would invariably lead to a declining population.”
Saskatchewan’s population gain in the second quarter of 2015 was made up of a natural increase (births minus deaths) of 1,641, and net international migration of 2,903 offset. The growth in those two categories was somewhat offset by net interprovincial outmigration of 1,444.
Statistics Canada releases updated population totals four times a year.
