Population growth in Alberta’s census metropolitan areas continues to be affected by the downturn in commodity production that began in 2014 and the resulting rise in unemployment rates, reported Statistics Canada on Thursday.

The federal agency said the Calgary region was not among the top 10 for population growth in Canada for the third consecutive year.

As of July 1, 2018, year-over-year growth in the Calgary region was 1.8 per cent.

Edmonton’s population growth ranked ninth in the country at 2.1 per cent.

Nationally, the population growth rate was 1.4 per cent.

StatsCan said Canada’s three largest census metropolitan areas (CMAs) – Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver – are now home to over one-third of Canadians (35.7 per cent).

“Permanent and temporary immigration is the key driver of population growth in urban Canada. This trend is linked to higher targets for permanent immigration, as defined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Moreover, various programs stimulate the admission of many temporary workers and foreign students,” it said.

“Ontario was home to the fastest growing CMAs from July 1, 2017, to July 1, 2018, with Peterborough (+3.1 per cent), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (+2.6 per cent), Ottawa-Gatineau (Ontario part) and Windsor (+2.5 per cent each), as well as London (+2.4 per dent) leading the way.”

The CMA of Calgary also continues to have the lowest proportion of people aged 65 years and older (11.6 per cent).

– Mario Toneguzzi for Calgary’s Business

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