SASKATCHEWAN GREW BY MORE THAN 15,000 PEOPLE IN 2008

Many People Moving Here From Ontario, Alberta 

Saskatchewan's population grew by 15,131 in 2008 according to new figures released today by Statistics Canada. The province's population as of January 1, 2009, was 1,023,810 - its highest level since 1988.

Premier Brad Wall said his government was elected on a growth agenda so he is pleased to see such a significant increase in population in the government's first year in office.

"The strong population growth shows that Saskatchewan is on the right track and that more people are looking to our province as a great place to build a career and a life," Wall said.

Inter-provincial migration is the largest component of population change in Saskatchewan with 26,507 people moving in and 20,948 people moving out in 2008, for a net inter-provincial gain of 5,559.

Over 85 per cent of the net gain came from two provinces - 2,415 from Ontario and 2,312 from Alberta.

Wall said the large number of people moving here from Ontario and Alberta coincides with Saskatchewan's aggressive recruitment campaigns in those two provinces.

"There are a lot of former Saskatchewan residents moving back from Alberta and there are a lot of Ontario residents who have been hard hit by the downturn in that province and are looking to Saskatchewan for new opportunities," Wall said. "Our government will continue to work with Saskatchewan employers to attract new people to our province."

Wall noted that net inter-provincial migration from Ontario increased significantly in the fourth quarter of 2008 after Saskatchewan increased its marketing efforts in that province and after about 50 Saskatchewan employers took part in a job fair in Toronto in late September. Saskatchewan had a net gain of 921 people from Ontario in the last three months of 2008.

Next week, Premier Wall will join the mayors of Regina and Saskatoon and several Saskatchewan employers at another job fair in Toronto.

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For more information, contact:

Kathy Young
Executive Council
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0425
Email: kathy.young@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-526-8927