StatsCan released the first data from the 2016 federal census this week and as expected, St. Albert continues to grow.
The city’s population is up 6.7 per cent since 2011, now standing at 65,589. As a percentage, the growth is not as fast as many other communities in the Edmonton region. The capital region as a whole grew 13.9 per cent from 2011 to 2016 and communities like Spruce Grove (30.1 per cent) and Beaumont (31 per cent) led the way.
Many of the metro communities aren’t as big as St. Albert, so 31 per cent growth in Beaumont means 4,112 new residents, almost the same as St. Albert, which had 4,123. But still St. Albert does lag behind the province as a whole (11.6 per cent growth) and the city of Edmonton added almost twice the population of St. Albert in new residents: 120,345.
Why aren’t as many new residents choosing to live in St. Albert? For one, St. Albert doesn’t have the name value that Edmonton, the capital city, does. Many who move to a new region will live in the city first before they explore living in the suburbs or bedroom communities.
It’s also more expensive to live in St. Albert than many other communities in the region, but the city is making progress in that department.
St. Albert has long held the reputation of being a residential community and our residential to non-residential tax ratio has reflected that. The city has also been reluctant to take on debt compared to many other communities in the province, which puts St. Albert is a strong financial position going forward but has put some burden on the tax base. Higher costs and fewer housing options mean it’s harder to attract new residents.
However, the recent year in review report from St. Albert Economic Development shows there is plenty of reason for optimism. Non-residential permit values have risen dramatically, while Edmonton has shown a decline. 2017 is expected to be another year of continued commercial and industrial growth in St. Albert. Non-residential growth will improve the residential to non-residential tax ratio and in turn, lower taxes on residents and provide more money for infrastructure to improve the quality of life.
St. Albert will soon offer more diversity in housing option as the city moves toward density targets set by the Capital Region Board’s growth plan. This will also make our city more attractive to new residents, by providing more options at a lower cost.
The key to residential growth is non-residential growth. A better tax ratio means lower costs for residents, which makes the city a more attractive option. St. Albert’s comparatively low debt ratio puts the city in a good position long-term. Although other metro communities are growing faster, this city is poised for growth, both in businesses and people.
