Christine Grimard
Northern News Services
Friday, March 16, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - The results of the Statistics Canada 2006 census indicating 13.1 per cent growth in the population of Yellowknife over the past five years is exaggerated, according to the NWT Bureau of Statistics.

The census indicates that Yellowknife's population stood at 18,700 in 2006, up from 16,541 in 2001. That increase would be more than double the national average of 5.4 per cent. The NWT Bureau of Statistics is saying the count is off the mark because of problems the bureau had with the 2001 census.

Since the 2001 census numbers underestimated NWT's population, the growth rates are probably half of what Statistics Canada is reporting, said David Stewart, assistant deputy minister of strategic planning.

Although Statistics Canada has admitted to the undercoverage, they do not revise the originally released numbers for calculating population increases, said Sherry Wallace, communications manager for Statistics Canada.

As a result, Statistics Canada has attached a warning that because the 2001 census was inaccurate, the seemingly huge population increase in the NWT is probably wrong.

Although the numbers may have been off the mark, Mayor Gordon Van Tighem isn't too concerned if the NWT Bureau of Statistics considers the growth rate inflated.

Van Tighem said that the increase in the number of houses in Yellowknife is close to Statistics Canada's results.

He also said that the city has been claiming to have a population of more than 20,000 the last few years, although that's more than what Statistics Canada has been reporting.

For investors looking at Yellowknife, Van Tighem welcomes the numbers in terms of showing Yellowknife's growth.

"They want to see positive numbers, and this is a positive number," said Van Tighem.

Stewart said that the problems occurred with the 2001 census because Statistics Canada had a hard time getting local workers to help issue the surveys.

"Often they were bringing in people from outside who were not familiar with the community," which led to missing houses, said Stewart.

Also, with so many transient people in the NWT, there was some confusion over whether to fill out the questionnaire.

Stewart said that for the 2006 census, the NWT helped Statistics Canada make sure all households were counted by providing a list of dwellings.

They also helped out by educating the communities to clarify who should be filling out questionnaires.

Stewart is confident that the stronger population numbers coming out of the 2006 census is an indication that they were more successful in counting everyone.