2019 Edmonton Census Results - Building Neighbourhoods for Future Growth

Edmonton’s Municipal Census Results were recently released. Collecting population data is an important and effective way to plan for the needs of our growing city. This data is crucial in making short-term and long-term operational and strategic plans for Edmonton. The City only receives grants for the people identified in the census, so this data also provides the basis for critical provincial and federal government grants.  Perhaps most interesting is that Edmonton's official population on April 1, 2019 was 972,223. That’s an increase of 72,776 people, or a 2.6 percent increase, since the last Municipal Census in 2016. That’s great news for Edmonton as many cities across Canada have not seen population increases due to the economic slow-down. This means Edmonton is continuing to grow and build its economy, which is an essential component of attracting people to Edmonton. However, this also means it’s crucial we use these numbers to plan for the infrastructure needed to accommodate that growth. Our new suburban areas are seeing the most amount of growth based on census results. This means a wide range of municipal services including schools, recreational centres, emergency services, and major infrastructure will be required to fully service these new communities. This is an important factor in the viability of these neighbourhoods. If there is not a variety of housing options, nearby business and community services within a neighbourhood, the desirability of the community declines as younger families search for more affordable and accessible communities to raise their children. Take a look at the 2019 results either by searching for specific wards or by neighbourhood. You can also look at historical data on the census, and find Edmonton's population history dating back to 1878.