Manitoba's population growth among highest in Canada

For the first time in 44 years, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta have the strongest population growth in Canada, over a four-year period, according to a new report from Statistics Canada this week, titledRecent changes in demographic trends in Canada.

The agency looked at population growthacross the country from 2011 to2014. It showed Manitoba's population rate increase iswell above the national average. Only two provinces, Saskatchewan and Alberta, had stronger population growth rates than Manitobafor this period.

Historically, Ontario was a leader in Canada for population growth. From 1982 to 2005 Ontario consistently had a higher growth rate than Canada's average, said Statistics Canada;however, in recent years fewer immigrants are choosing to settle in that province.

Statistics Canada reporthighlights:

• From 2011-2014 Canada's population growth rate was 1.1 per cent
• Alberta lead the provinces with a2.59 per cent growth rate
• Manitoba's growth rate was was 1.21 over this four-year period
• Ontario's growth rate was1.0 per cent
• Nova Scotiasaw a slight population decline of 0.01 per cent over this period

This week's report from Statistics Canadadidn't come as a surprise to Manitoba's chief statistician Wilf Falk.

"Over the last five years according to the Stats Can numbers, Manitoba has exceeded the national growth in population and in the latest numbers which cover the period July 2014 to July 2015,Manitoba had the second largest population gain of any province," said Falk.

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The July numbers show Manitoba'scurrent growth rateis 1.03 per cent which even surpasses Saskatchewan's, said Falk. That puts Manitoba's most current growth rate as the second-strongest in Canada.Alberta's population growth remained in the lead with 1.83 per cent. Canada's average growth rate from July 2014 toJuly 2015was 0.87 per cent.

Higher birth rates than death rates, along with immigration, are among the factors driving Manitoba's numbers, he said.

Manitoba birth ratehighest in decades

"Populations in the western provinces...are the youngest populations in the country, excluding Nunavut and the Northwest Territories," Falksaid.

More young peoplemeans more women in the peak childbearing years, said Falk. Manitoba now has themost births the province has seen in 21 years.Couple that with more immigrants, many of whom come from countries with higher birth rates, and that'sa recipe for population growth.

"In 2014 we had a little over 16,000 new Manitobans come to us from other countries, that's the largest number since at least 1971," Falk said.

Births and immigration offset a continued trend of Manitobans leaving for other provinces. Residentscontinue to be tempted by economic and weather conditions in other provinces. Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia are among the most popular provincesManitobans choseto move to within Canada,said Falk.

"We nearly always see a loss," he said, "only two years since 1971 has their been a positive inflow [of residents from other provinces into Manitoba]." Both those years were in the 1980s, said Falk.