We’ve basically added another Weyburn to the province in the past year.
Saskatchewan’s population rose by roughly 12,000 in the 12 months that ended in June. StatsCan’s regular quarterly update pegged our headcount at 1,278,402, continuing our string of quarterly gains that have been running for years.
The jump in the second quarter was the strongest improvement we’ve seen in a couple of years, a suggestion that our economy may be picking up momentum as more people see this as a destination that offers an opportunity to build a better life.
But that perspective has to be tempered a bit as part of the gains can be attributed to revisions of earlier data, especially around the number of temporary residents in the country. Another interesting angle is that more people will also translate into lower per capita GDP, one of those metrics that is used to track an economy’s performance.
But, at its core, a growing population is a powerful, positive indicator meaning you are a destination, not a place to leave.
— For more than 50 years, Paul Martin has specialized in coverage of the business and political scenes. His career has spanned radio, television and print and electronic media.
