Population gain may now less exciting

earlier - the largest yearly population growth in the province since 1914.

“Saskatchewan continues to break population records thanks to strong and effective policies that welcome newcomers to our province,” Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison said in a news release.

“With one of the nation’s lowest costing utility bundles, thousands of great job opportunities, and a strong and growing economy.”

It’s a remarkable achievement that probably has caused some to already some to forget about our past. After all, since the province’s population began to surge upward around 2004, Saskatchewan has only seen one quarter in which we experienced a population decline.

Those of us whose memories go back more than two decades may have a better sense of how truly remarkable this is. Losing our child to other provinces has pretty much been Saskatchewan’s brand.

Since the 1930s when Saskatchewan was hit even harder by the Great Depression than most anywhere else, we have been losing our children to other provinces where they sought better opportunities.

Governments of the day were consistently blamed. It’s always been great political fodder. In fact, the three times in the last 40 years in which voters has sought government change, the key campaign issue was our declining population and bringing our children home.

But the simple reality is that this has never come easy to any Saskatchewan government. That’s because even in the good times when our kids had less reason to leave, there were still better times and opportunities in places like Alberta and B.C. the vandalism broke off the statue’s head. This kind of destruction doesn’t aim to advance the understanding of history. It is born of anger and nihilism, it seeks to polarize and divide, and it even attempts to speak for those who have no desire to be a part of such violence.

So perhaps the Saskatchewan Party government can somewhat be forgiven for its boastfulness, given this is the first administration to preside over an extended period without population decline.

The thing is, though, the great news isn’t causing the stir it once did. There may be a few reasons why.

First, the boom is not being enjoyed equally by everyone. In fact, it’s pretty much confined to the two major cities and even there, growth isn’t exactly happening equitably.

In fact, Saskatoon saw the lion’s share of growth in 2022, with 7,666 more people, pumping its population up to 347,536.

Regina only grew by 1.7 per cent or 4,429 people to 268,804.

But Regina was a boomtown compared with most everywhere else in the province. Prince Albert lost three people, Weyburn lost seven people, Moose Jaw lost 27 people and Estevan lost 141 people, while Yorkton gained 30 people and Swift Current gained 127 people.

Outside the two cities and their neighbouring bedroom communities, Saskatchewan growth is sputtering.

Admittedly, the first three months of 2023 look great, but everyone’s numbers look great coming out of this pandemic.

Saskatchewan’s 2.8 per cent growth was third lowest in the nation well below Alberta’s 4.5 per cent growth.

Also, what accounted for the 33,101-person gain in population in the first three months was 35,820person net international migration.

There’s nothing wrong with bringing in new people, but it’s not completing satisfying for those still hoping a boom will bring the children home.

However, what this boom in the cities has created is a series of problems catching up to us.

The cities are seeing crowded classrooms, difficulties finding a family physician, higher housing costs and homelessness.

Many of these problems like doctor shortages are now spilling over into the country.

Sure, growth is still a positive in Saskatchewan. After all, we are a province whose success has been on newcomers coming here. But population numbers may not be quite as exciting as they once were.