Despite the sluggish economy, the city of Calgary’s population has increased by nearly 20,000.
Results from the civic census shows Calgary’s population is now 1,285,711, up 18,367 from last year. That change represents a 1.45 per cent increase.
Net migration and natural increases — births over deaths — are both slightly down from 2018 increases.
More than 9,500 people moved to Calgary in 2019, a number 2,000 fewer than last year. Natural increase was 8,807, a drop of 612 from 2018.
“We need immigration very badly in this city and this country,” Mayor Naheed Nenshi said Tuesday.
Nenshi said, with an aging population, it’s important to attract a working age and child-bearing population to the community to fight against those demographic trends.
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“It’s important to get past the fear mongering on this and it’s important for us to highlight that this city and this country don’t work without young immigrants coming here and working.”
The fastest-growing age group in Calgary over the past ten years is between the ages of 65 to 74.
The southeast community of Mahogany leads the way in population growth with an increase of nearly 2,000 people. Legacy, Cornerstone and Redstone also saw growth of more than 1,000 residents.
Statistics from the annual census show that 66.41 per cent of homes in Calgary are lived in by their owners, down from 68.22 last year.
The census covers a period from April 2018 to April 2019. It included questions on total number of residents, ownership, school support, pre-school aged children and age and gender.
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