Okotoks population continues to climb
Census: Community among fastest growing in Canada
Federal census results show Okotoks' population continued to climb with in of the fastest growth rates in Canada in the last five years.
The town's population has more than doubled in the last decade reaching exceeding the 24,000 mark as families set down roots in Okotoks.
They've only been living in Okotoks for less than a year, but it has been a blessing.
When moving to Alberta from the Maritimes in October, there was only one place Lorie Edwards wanted her family to call home and it was Okotoks. It's a decision she said has been a blessing.
“The people are friendly, they're welcoming,” she said. “It's an extremely positive community.”
Edwards' family first moved to Alberta from Ontario in 2005 and settled in Airdrie, before moving to Moncton, New Brunswick. When her husband's work brought the family back to Alberta she wanted to live in Okotoks.
“It was my head and my heart that told me to come to Okotoks,” he said.
Edwards said the town has a strong sense of community. It also has everything people need and is also close enough to Calgary for when you have to go to the city, she said.
She would be willing support growing beyond the 30,000 population cap, but she doesn't want to see large, uncontrolled growth levels. Having lived in a have-not province, she believes Okotoks is in a much better position to be able to manage its growth pressures.
“As long as it is discussed and planned for,” she said.
The decision to move to Okotoks has been made by thousands of others and results from the 2011 national census show Okotoks continues to be one of Canada's fastest growing communities. Statistics Canada released the first round of results from the 2011 census on Feb. 8, which included population and dwelling counts across the country.
The Town's population has doubled over the past 10 years. The results show Okotoks' population rose to 24,511 last year, up from 17,150 in 2006 for a 42.9 per cent increase. It was the 10th fastest growth rate for Canadian municipalities and the town was one of five from Alberta in the top 10.
Okotoks mayor Bill Robertson said the census results show that Okotoks is a good place to call home.
“People want to come here because we're creating a desirable community to live in,” he said. “We have all kinds of amenities and people value those and want to come in and experience them.”
The census results show Okotoks continuing to edge closer to its water license capacity. The Town has enough water licenses for a population of 27,000 people. The Town has worked to expand its water supply by purchasing water licenses, including buying three last year.
Town council is expected to make a decision later this year about whether it will keep the population cap or allow continued growth, as well as how it will supply water for additional development into the future.
The Town's sky-high growth rate is already coming back down to earth.
Much of the growth in the last five years occurred in 2006 and 2007, slowing afterwards. Housing starts peaked in 2006 with 793 single-family homes and duplexes and 278 multi-family units. It declined to 521 single-family homes and duplexes and 342 multi-family units in 2007 and dropped to 247 single-family homes and duplexes and 16 multi-family units in 2008.
He said the slower growth rate after 2008 has given the Town time to catch up on Robertson needs. He said new facilities such as the indoor field house and Heritage Heights Arena in the MD of Foothills will help to address needs for recreational facilities in the town and surrounding area.
“It does give us a little bit of breathing room,” he said.
Shane Olson said the growing population is good new for Okotoks' business community. The increase in the regional population is also good for the town because it makes up a large part of the Town's regional trading area, he said.
“It's good for businesses, having more people around certainly helps the regional trading area and supports our local economy and the businesses we have in town,” he said.
He said a growing population also helps the Town attract more funding from grant programs that are based on the number of people living in a community.
The entire foothills area continued to grow as more than 60,000 people now call the region home. Every municipality in the foothills region saw their populations rise with more modest growth in the MD of Foothills and Turner Valley, while Black Diamond saw a higher growth rate of 24.9 per cent.
Additional census results will be released over the course of the year, with statistics on the age and number of men and women in Canada scheduled to be released in May.
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