Fort Saskatchewan is growing fast, and getting a little older on average, according to the latest local census results released this week.

Our population stands at 29,857 as of the census taken on April 1, 2024, says the City of Fort Saskatchewan Census final report.

That is a growth rate of 4.31 per cent in the last year, making it one of the higher rates in recent history. Growth was only at 2.33 per cent in 2019, for example. Similar growth rates were last seen a decade ago. 2015 saw 5.4 per cent and 2013 saw 6.45 per cent. The fastest growth rate was in 2010, when it reached 6.78 per cent.

Fort Saskatchewan's fastest growth ever was with the arrival of Sherritt in the mid-1950s, when the annual growth rate reached 18 per cent.

The size of our senior population continues to grow. Those age 75 and older now make up 5.5 per cent of the total population, compared with 5.3 per cent last year, and 4.2 per cent in 2017.

The number of very young residents dropped. The age 0-4 group now represents 5.3 per cent of the population, compared to 5.18 per cent in 2023, and 6.69 per cent in 2017.

Growth is fastest in our new neighbourhoods, with parts of Westpark, Sienna and Southfort neighbourhoods almost doubling in size in recent years.

Some older neighbourhoods also saw significant growth this year, however. The new Muriel Abdurahman Court added 200 new residents to downtown. The older part of Pineview also added 130 new residents.

On the other hand, part of downtown east of 101 Street and south of River Road lost 200 residents.