Lethbridge hopeful 2019 census will reveal population milestone for city

2019 could be the year the city of Lethbridge reaches the population milestone of 100,000 people, setting the stage for what may be a historic census count.

“We just encourage people to participate either through online or by answering the door when the census taker does come,” said Aleta Neufeld, a city clerk with the city of Lethbridge

“It will be exciting for us this year because we do want to reach the 100,000 mark.”

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2018’s census showed the population in Lethbridge had grown 1.6 per cent from the previous year, reaching a total of 99,769 people.

WATCH: Lethbridge population on track to hit 100,000 (2014)

City officials said with Lethbridges’ continued urban and infrastructure developments over the last few years, they expect similar growth again this year.

“Lethbridge is a very conservative community and our growth does complement that,” Neufeld said.

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“We are right around two per cent on the average over the last several years, and I would anticipate that it would be very steady growth again.”

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Starting Apr. 1, 2019 door hangers containing online pins will be delivered to residents across the city. Afterward, information can then be submitted online or in person through door-to-door census takers.

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City officials, however, stress there is another way to be counted if residents aren’t available during the time of the census.

“If some of our residents are going to be away for the next four weeks or even are currently away on vacation, they certainly can at any time — even beginning today — call our office and share their information with us that way,” Neufeld said.

The census will help determine what per-capita grant funding will become available to our city in the coming year, with results from this year’s count expected to go public in June.