Alberta now has about 10 per cent more Morinville than it did two years ago, according to a new report, and will likely see plenty more in the future.
Town council received a report on its 2011 census at a meeting Tuesday. The census, done by Pivotal Research in May and June, found that the town now has about 8,503 residents — about 11.4 per cent more than it did in 2009. That works out to a growth rate of 5.7 per cent a year, or about twice St. Albert's rate.
That's a huge but healthy rate of growth, said Mayor Lloyd Bertschi. "We've got some great momentum right now," he said, and it should help draw more amenities to the community.
This was the first year that the town has had an online option for its census, notes the report. The town expected to save money if at least 15 per cent of respondents filled out the census online, and about 38 per cent did, according to the report.
This shows that the online census is a pretty good idea, said Coun. Paul Krauskopf.
"Maybe we should look at doing our elections that way next time!" he quipped.
A growing community
Morinville has grown by about 20 per cent since 2006, according to Statistics Canada, adding 1,728 people to its borders in the last five years.
The town has come a long way since the 1970s when it was still possible to know everyone, said Krauskopf, a lifelong resident. That was when the last population boom started, and the town upgraded to real sidewalks from boardwalks. "[People] were saying Morinville would be a city in no time."
The council of the day had the foresight to hook the town into regional water and sewer systems, Bertschi said, giving it plenty of room to grow — the town has enough water for 25,000 people. "The only limiting factor for our growth, quite frankly, is the people," he said.
Rising populations have put pressure on the town's reservoir and library, however, both are being upgraded.
The town's rapid growth should help it draw more grants and restaurants, Bertschi said. "We're the largest community in Alberta by a long-shot that doesn't have a McDonalds," he noted, and these latest figures might prompt business owners to set up shop in town.
The town had enough land to hold about 15,000 people, Krauskopf said — a number he didn't expect it to reach any time soon. "15,000 is a pretty big number," he said, and it will be up to future residents to decide if the town has grown enough.
When asked how the rapid growth would affect the town's spirit, Krauskopf recalled that similar concerns were raised during the 1970s. The Communities in Bloom program and other initiatives helped keep streets clean and civic pride strong. "We have to stay modern. We don't want to stay a small town forever."
Major roads and rail lines naturally divide the town into quadrants, Bertschi noted, which could help each region keep that small-town feel as Morinville grows.
Not growing is simply not an option, Bertschi said. "If you're not growing, you're going backwards."
Full census results, including language and employment stats, will be presented to council on Sept. 13.
