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Census numbers show big growth in Canmore, MD of Bighorn

“Canmore is in a housing crisis. We need housing in every spot in the housing continuum. With more people arriving, that puts greater pressure on the housing stock that we do have.”
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The 2021 census showed growth in population in both Canmore and the MD of Bighorn.

BOW VALLEY – When it comes to population numbers, it seems a lot of people want to live in the Bow Valley.

Data from the 2021 Statistics Canada census has been released and Canmore in particular has seen rapid growth since 2016.

From 2016 to 2021, the population has increased from 13,992 to 15,990, for an increase of 14.3 per cent in five years. This averages out to nearly 400 people being added to the community’s population annually.

For Canmore mayor Sean Krausert, the population growth in Canmore is a clear sign the community is a place people want to live.

“It tells me Canmore remains a highly desirable location,” Krausert said. “That said, the growth is continuing at the same rate as it has over the last decade and is slower than it once was.”

Since 1993, Canmore has seen steady growth, rising from 6,621 people that year to 10,517 people in 2000, an increase of 58.84 per cent. Growth slowed down from 2000 to 2011, when the population only rose by 17.1 per cent.

As the population continues to rise, that puts greater strain on an already tight housing market in the community.

“Canmore is in a housing crisis. We need housing in every spot in the housing continuum,” Krausert said. “With more people arriving, that puts greater pressure on the housing stock that we do have.”

Moving forward, with the population likely to continue to increase through the decade, Canmore hopes to respond the best way it can to the growing needs of the community.

“There is only a limited number of levers that a municipality can use with respect to population growth. The best we can do is to respond to it as best as possible,” Krausert said. “The population growth as it sits fits in our long-term planning projections. It does underline the great importance that this council puts on livability and improving options for people that are living here.”

The MD of Bighorn is in the same boat with population growth, albeit on a smaller scale. The census reported 1,598 people in the MD in 2021, an increase from 1,324 in 2016. This increase represents a 20.7 per cent growth for the MD. This reverses the downward trend from 2011 to 2016, when the community lost seven people.

The recent growth is likely thanks to the 70 residential lot development with 35 multi-family homes at Dead Man’s Flats.

“I don’t know looking at the numbers if that is where the only growth is,” MD of Bighorn reeve Lisa Rosvold said. “I think there was a slight decrease in Harvie Heights and a slight increase in Exshaw. The majority of the increase came in the development in Dead Man’s Flats.”

With the population growth, the MD is looking at improving recreational opportunities in the district, especially with 280 children making up 17 per cent of the population.

“There is a lot of children, so putting an emphasis on providing more recreational opportunities would be something council would consider,” Rosvold said. “We are undertaking a recreational needs study this year.”

In 2011, there were 210 children in the district, making up 15 per cent of the population.

Moving forward, the population of the MD of Bighorn could continue to grow depending on the developments in the area. There is a potential development in Exshaw that is residential in nature, as well as a development planned for Dead Man’s Flats that is mixed-use.

“Depending on how those developments proceed, the population could continue to go up,” Rosvold said. “I don’t know if I see another 20 per cent increase by the time the next census rolls around, but I do see it continuing to go up."

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