Federal census data shows most Shuswap communities have seen some growth in population over the past five years.
Statistics Canada has released updated population profiles for the Canadian communities and provinces.
Between 2011 and 2016, British Columbia’s population increased by 5.6 per cent to 4.6 million people. Canada’s population, meanwhile, surpassed 35 million.
As of 2016, 13.6 per cent of Canadians live in B.C., leaving the province the third largest in the country.
Though the Shuswap hasn’t seen the same dramatic percentage increases, they follow a similar upward trend.
Sorrento saw a total population (full-time and seasonal residents) increase of 2.4 per cent, from 1,255 in 2011 to 1,285 in 2016. The number of full-time residents is currently at 625.
Blind Bay saw a 6.6 per cent increase in total population, from 1,234 to 1,315, with 632 full-time residents.
The City of Salmon Arm experienced a 1.4 per cent increase in total population, from 17,464 in 2011 to 17,706 in 2016.With Switsemalph land included in Salmon Arm’s municipal boundary, the population saw a 1.2 per cent increase.
Two Shuswap communities that bucked the growth trend are the Village of Chase and the District of Sicamous. Chase saw an 8.4 per cent decline in total population, from 2,495 to 2,286, with 1,089 full-time residents. The District of Sicamous experienced a drop of 0.5 per cent, from 2,441 to 2,429, with a full-time population of 1,167.
Sicamous Town Manager Evan Parliament says the current census data is more welcome than the previous five years.
“So the good news with the 2016 results, is it looks like we’ve stabilized,” said Parliament. “Because population is critical. Would we like it to be going at a two-to-five per cent click? Sure. But at least, as per the 2006-2011 period, where we dropped almost nine per cent, it looks like we’ve stopped that and that’s encouraging because that’s all about the health of our schools, the health of our seniors and of course the business community.”