Fuelled by soaring crude prices and employment in the oil patch,
immigration to Alberta has boomed over the last year, the latest
StatCan statistics show.
The population of Alberta grew
by 52,000 to 3,256,800 in the one-year period
ending July 1, 2005, making it the province with the fastest
population growth in that time.
During the year, Alberta received 17,400 international immigrants,
a level not exceeded since 1993/94 (+18,200). Additionally, the
province saw a substantial increase in its net interprovincial
migration, which was up 6,000 from the previous year.
Among other provinces and territories which experienced growth rates
above that of Canada as a whole were British Columbia (+1.25%), Ontario
and Nunavut (+1.08%). In contrast, small population losses were
recorded in three provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador (-1,300),
Saskatchewan (-200), and New Brunswick (-100).
Relative to its population, Ontario registered the largest net gain
with 10.4 persons for every 1,000 population, or 127,300 people in
total. British Columbia was second with a net gain of 10.2, while
Alberta was third with 8.3.
Nunavut registered the largest net decline relative to its population
with 5.1 per 1,000 persons, although the absolute numbers were small.
Among census metropolitan areas, Toronto had the highest net inflow of
people. There were 78,344 more people moving into the metropolitan area
than moving out. Vancouver ranked second with a net inflow of 28,339,
followed by Montreal with a net inflow of 22,378.
These three metropolitan areas, Canada's largest, attracted about
three-quarters of international immigrants who arrived in all the
census metropolitan areas.
About 65% of the people who moved into Toronto during 2003/04 came from
outside the country, as did 50% of those who moved into Vancouver and
48% of those who moved into Montreal. Without immigrants, these urban
centres would have incurred a net outflow of people during the past
several years.
Relative to the size of its population, the census metropolitan area of
Oshawa had the highest net inflow of 21.5 people for every 1,000 people
living there, followed by Toronto with 15.3.
Vancouver and Kitchener each registered a net gain of 13.2 migrants per
1,000 population. Abbotsford, British Columbia followed closely with a
net gain of 13.1 migrants, well above its net gain of 2.8 migrants per
1,000 of population the previous year.
For many years, Calgary was among the top three metropolitan areas in
terms of net inflow of migrants per 1,000 population. In 2003/04,
however, it slipped into the sixth position, although its rate of 11.5
migrants for every 1,000 population was higher than its rate in the
previous year.
People around Toronto and Montreal continue to move to the suburbs.
Among census divisions, the regional municipality of York, north of
Toronto, had the highest net gain with 38.1 migrants for every 1,000
population. It was followed by Mirabel, north of Montreal, with a net
gain of 36.7. Peel region, west of Toronto, was third with a net
increase of 33.4.
People who moved into York and Peel tended to have a median income
below that of the region as a whole. (The median is the point where
one-half of incomes are higher and half are lower). For example, the
median income of migrants into York was $24,400, which was 5% lower
than the median of $25,600 for Ontario as a whole. Migrants into Peel
had a median income of $23,500 or 8% lower than Ontario's median income.
Related: Where To Settle
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