Largest Sask. cities saw steady population growth in 2024

WATCH: A report by Statistics Canada on population shows two regions in Saskatchewan were in the top 10 for growth in 2024.

A report by Statistics Canada on population shows two regions in Saskatchewan were in the top 10 for growth in 2024.

The report refers to the population growth year-over-year starting July 1 for Census Metropolitan Areas (CMA) and Census Agglomerations (CA). For reference, the CMA of Saskatoon includes Warman and Martensville to the North, Colonsay to the East, and Blackstrap Reservoir to the South.

According to the report, from July 2023 to July 2024, the Saskatoon CMA grew 4.1 per cent to 367,336 — that ranks seventh out of 41 CMAs across the country.

The Regina CMA, which includes Belle Plaine to the West, Kennell to the north and as far southeast as Sedley, grew from 271,516 to 282,032 residents in that period. That growth ranks tenth out of the 41 CMAs.

The report shows growth in all CMAs over the past year — 3.5 per cent increase — outpaced Canada’s overall growth of 3.0 per cent, while CAs across the country saw a 1.9 per cent growth rate. All other areas grew at a rate of 0.9 per cent.

Calgary’s population grew at a rate of 5.8 per cent to 1,778,881 — the highest in the country.

For smaller centres in our province over the past year, the Yorkton CA grew from 20,618 to 21,040.

The Prince Albert Census Agglomeration added 704 residents, now sitting at 47,929.

The North Battleford CA increased slightly from 19,858 to 20,059.

Moose Jaw added nearly 700 residents, to 37,426. Estevan grew by about 60 people, and Weyburn added 100 of its own.

Statistics Canada says the main factors behind population growth are different between CMAs, CAs and others, but immigration or non-permanent residents are the main sources of growth in Saskatchewan.

According to the report issued Thursday, most of the new immigrants continue to be concentrated within large urban centres, accounting for nearly all the growth in those areas.

That means the country continues the path towards urbanization.

“As of July 1, 2024, three in four (74.8 per cent) Canadians were living in a CMA, up 0.4 percentage points from a year earlier,” according to the report, which says almost 30.9 million people lived in Census Metropolitan Areas as of July 1.