On-Reserve Population Booming

On-Reserve Population Booming

Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at 13:25

 

 

Reserves and most northern communities don’t appear to be affected by a province-wide population drop.

 

According to data released this morning from the 2006 Census, Saskatchewan’s population fell 1.1 per cent from the last census in 2001.

 

Newfoundland and Labrador was the only other province to see a decrease in population.

 

Meanwhile, the on-reserve population in Saskatchewan is exploding — it increased 10.8 per cent from 2001 to 2006.

 

Mistawasis was the fastest growing reserve — it’s population ballooned by 73.8 per cent over those five years. Statistics Canada spokesman Larry Deters isn’t sure what’s responsible for that rapid increase, but he speculates it could be attributed to a high birth rate and people migrating back to the reserve from urban areas.

 

Cumberland House, Little Red River and Whitecap were other Saskatchewan reserves that experienced population increases of over 50 per cent.

 

Population growth is also being seen in northern villages. The population in La Loche grew nearly 10 per cent, while the village of Cumberland House saw a 28 per cent growth spurt.

 

Buffalo Narrows, Beauval and Green Lake were among a handful of northern communities that saw population declines.