Turner Valley’s average population growth ratein 2015 reached hit levels not seen for almost a decade.
According to the recently-released 2015 municipal census results, the Town boasts a population of 2,511 people, revealing a 3.97 per cent average annual increase since 2011.
The federal census taken in 2011 revealed 2,167 people live in the community.
The average annual growth rate in 2006 was 6.83 per cent.
The increase means great potential for economic growth, according to Monique LeBlanc, Turner Valley community services and business development manger.
“In general, an increase in population results in additional revenue, especially in the area of municipal grants issued on the basis of a per capita rate,” she said. “Additionally, property tax and facility fee revenues will see increases as a result of an additional 344 residents since 2011.”
While LeBlanc said there is no way to record the effects the increase has had on local businesses, the expectation is sales have and will increase with a larger market to draw from.
“The overall result is growth builds optimism and investment in our community,” she said.
Barry Willliamson, Turner Valley chief administrative officer, said many questions asked on last year’s census will assist with future community planning.
“We had a few things we wanted to look at like the demographics so we can do some planning around that,” he said. “For example, knowing that we have 40 per cent of residents that have lived here less than five years. That’s important to know.”
Williamson said it was also important to collect specific information, such as age groups in different neighbourhoods for recreational planning.
“If there is an area that’s got younger families maybe the playground there should have a lot more for the kinds ofw things you need for tots,” he said. “You just need to balance off what the demographics are looking like when you’re doing certain planning.”
Another piece of information collected addressed public transportation.
The town is one of several participating in the Calgary Regional Partnership’s On-It transit system that will provide transportation between Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Okotoks, High River and Calgary in September.
When asked if they would use public transit to Okotoks or Calgary, 57 per cent said they wouldn’t. Seventeen per cent chose not to answer.
The census also reveals an almost even split between male and female residents, with 50.8 per cent of respondents being female. Ten per cent of people chose not to include their gender.
Ten per cent of residents did not provide the age of people in their households. Of those who did, results show 23 per cent are children, 25 per cent are young adults, 36 per cent middle aged (40-64) and 16 per cent are seniors.
The survey asked other questions including mode of transportation to work or school, type of occupation, type of dwelling and neighbourhood density.
“It allows us to look at that data as part of the pieces you put into looking at an overall forward view of how the town is going and how you allow for the various pieces council is going to look at,” said Williamson. “The more data we can have for our strategic planning sessions the better informed we are at making decisions around that.”
Planning includes downtown revitalization, parks and pathways and development.
While not all residents chose to reply to every question in the survey, Williamson said the Town will do its best with the information it collected.
“People see it’s an invasion of privacy or they can’t be bothered or whatever it might be,” she said. “We do try and emphasize that we use this data to get at grants that are engineered to everyone in town so that should be an incentive.
“If we can verify people living in the house without getting information that’s enough for the grant. The other stuff is really important in planning and developing the town.”
To see the results of the survey go to turnervalley.ca.
