Chestermere, Airdrie, Cochrane and Rocky View Countyís populations have grown dramatically since 2006, adding to the growth in Alberta recently pointed out by a Statistics Canada study.
The document revealed Alberta led all provinces in growth from 2006 to 2011 while the Yukon had the highest territorial growth in Canada at 11.6 per cent.
ìStrong population growth in the urban centres of Cochrane, Chestermere, Airdrie and Calgary support the growing labour force needs in Rocky View County,î said David Kalinchuk, County development manager. ìRocky View is ideally positioned with competitive tax rates, a dynamic developer community and outstanding real estate options.î
With a 49.4 per cent upswing, Chestermere added 4,901 new residents. The lakeside townís growth can be directly attributed to the lifestyle it offers, according to Chen Pang, assistant director for development with the Town.
ìWeíve branded ourselves as a recreational centre,î she said. ìThat attracts those families.î
The different festivals and fairs the community hosts contributes to its relaxed lifestyle, something people still value, according to Peng.
ìPeople want to move out here to escape the city living and come out to a place where itís more of a small town,î she said.
Project planner Benazir Thaha said the largest growth periods were between 2005 and 2006 when the area was experiencing a boom.
The town ìdoesnít have big hurdles on infrastructure,î making it a positive environment for developers, said Peng.
In west Rocky View, Cochrane Mayor Truper McBride wasnít surprised to see the increase in numbers roll in.
ìCochrane has always been a thriving community, even if population is all you look at,î he said. ìBut growth does need to be properly managed and thatís why council is paying so much attention to developing Cochrane as a complete community, exploring services like transit to make sure that as we grow we are a community that everyone can call home.î
The County itself added 3,288 people, for a total population of 36,461, representing a growth of 9.9 per cent.
ìRocky View County will continue to have a strong presence in future development, supporting these growing and thriving communities we surround,î said Kalinchuk. ìAs a region, we are also finding great success with collaborative projects. In business and industrial development, the Calgary Region has never worked so well together.î
The County has recently experienced resurgent growth with $274 million in 2011 new construction projects, including a new Target distribution centre and a major U.S. courier, yet to be announced, also moving in.
The County also topped its neighbouring M.D.s, including second place Foothills at 7.7. per cent growth. Bighorn grew 6.1 per cent while Mountainview barely upped its numbers at 0.4 per cent. Wheatland County had a marginal increase of 2.2 per cent while Kneehill County decreased by 5.7 per cent.
Crossfield increased its population from 2,668 to 2,853; Cochrane jumped from 13,760 to 17,580. However, Irricana dropped from 1,243 to 1,162.
Overall, Canada had a 5.9 per cent growth rate and the countryís population is now 33.5 million.
