By David Fleming
The first release of the 2011 Census data from Statistics Canada shows that Halifax’s population grew by over 17,000 people, or 4.7% from 2006 to 2011.
This was below the Canadian average of 5.9% for the period, however in terms of actual number of new persons, Halifax ranked 13th out of the 33 cities listed.
Halifax is now home to over 390,000 people, up from 359,000 in 2001. When comparing Halifax against its benchmark cities (and the largest Atlantic ones), Halifax ranked 2nd in actual growth and was first among Atlantic cities.
|
Census Metropolitan Area
|
2006 Population
|
2011 Population
|
Actual Growth
|
% Growth
|
|
Quebec
|
719,153
|
765,706
|
46,553
|
6.5%
|
|
Halifax
|
372,858
|
390,328
|
17,470
|
4.7%
|
|
London
|
457,720
|
474,786
|
17,066
|
3.7%
|
|
St. John’s
|
181,113
|
196,966
|
15,853
|
8.8%
|
|
Regina
|
194,971
|
210,566
|
15,595
|
8.0%
|
|
Victoria
|
330,088
|
344,615
|
14,527
|
4.4%
|
|
Moncton
|
126,424
|
138,644
|
12,220
|
9.7%
|
|
Fredericton
|
86,226
|
94,268
|
8,042
|
9.3%
|
|
Charlottetown
|
59,325
|
64,487
|
5,162
|
8.7%
|
Source: Statistics Canada Census 2011
Growth in Population, Federal Electoral Districts in Halifax, 2006-11
If you look at the sub-regional federal election districts, each of the four districts showed population growth, with Halifax West seeing the largest relative growth and Dartmouth-Cole Harbour the least.
Suburban Halifax (Halifax West – 51.3% and Sackville-Eastern Shore – 24.6%) accounted for three quarters of Halifax’s total growth, with Halifax (17.6%) and Dartmouth-Cole Harbour (7.3%) accounting for the other quarter.
While the overall results are not spectacular, Halifax’s economic stability and major projects including Halifax Shipyard, Shell’s deepwater drilling and the Maritime transmission link, should provide a significant boost to future census counts.
Population growth (as exhibited by Canada’s western provinces) tends to follow economic activity, so growth forecasts that predict big jumps in economic growth in Nova Scotia – like the most recent forecasts from RBC, TD, and BMO – bode well for the province’s, and especially Halifax’s, future census counts.
For more information on Halifax’s economy visit www.greaterhalifax.com/economy.
David is the Junior Economist and Project Development Coordinator at the Greater Halifax Partnership. He studied Economics and Philosophy at the University of Prince Edward Island, and has experience working with private, public and non-profit organizations.