Saskatchewan's strong economy is drawing workers and their families from around the world and the trend is permanently colouring the demographic picture of Canada's third-fastest-growing province.
According to the latest census, population growth in the province hit 6.7 per cent over the last five years, compared with a negative growth rate of 1.1 per cent between 2001 and 2006.
Saskatchewan welcomed more than 28,000 immigrants between 2006 and 2011, about three times the number of the previous five years, as well as some 12,000 in-migrants from other provinces. In 2008, the province was aiming for 2,800 nominations under the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program. This year, it is estimated that 4,000 immigrants will apply under the program, which would translate into up to 12,500 people arriving, or more than 1,000 each month.
The majority of immigrants are from China, India and Pakistan, according to the province. Saskatchewan has also been successfully recruiting nurses from the Philippines, with 400 such immigrants registering since 2008.
In a statement to the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Premier Brad Wall had a simple explanation for the population spurt.
"Saskatchewan is simply the best place in Canada to live, to work, to raise a family and to build a life," said Wall. "More and more people are now discovering that and it is why our population is growing."
The census showed a steady rise in Western Canada's population with Alberta and B.C. leading the curve. More than 10 million Canadians reside in the West.
The western provinces added more than 766,000 residents between 2006 and 2011 and, for the first time, more people now live west of the Ontario than east of it, according to Census Canada figures.
from Western Investor March 2012
