P.E.I.: We're the best, and the worst

2017 found P.E.I. at the top and the bottom in a surprising number of statistical categories.

Early results of the 2016 census were released this year. The first broad strokes, which came out in February, showedP.E.I. was the fastest growing province in Atlantic Canada, even if growth was still behind the national average.

Later releases revealed immigration was a major factor in that population growth, with more than 3,300 immigrants living on the Island who had arrived since the last census in 2011.

That growth came in spite of the province having the lowest immigrant retention rate in the region.

The number of Islanders speaking immigrant languages, not too surprisingly, also grew at a rate that led the country.

It was not just immigrants on P.E.I. making waves this year. Statistics from 2014 released this year show that Island-born babies were on average larger than babies in any other province.

Economically there were some good signs for P.E.I.

There was significant strength in both home construction and manufacturing.

But the benefits of growth in those industries did not seem to be trickling down to workers. Not only did P.E.I. wages remain the lowest in the country, they also had the smallest growth.

Low-wage workers looking for income tax relief saw an increase in the personal income tax exception, but it is still the lowest in the country.

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