BC Stats numbers for 2017 show continued population decline for Prince Rupert, Northwest

The latest number crunching from the provincial statistical agency BC Stats has another disappointing return for City of Prince Rupert officials, suggesting that the outflow migration away from the region continued from 2016 to 2017.

 The latest population estimate were released on January 15th and indicate that the population for the city has dropped to 10,713, making for a 4.3% decline from last years statistical review, when the city's population was listed at 11, 200, the difference between 2016 to 2017 makes for a drop of 487 residents.

The Prince Rupert numbers provide for the largest drop in population of all the Northwest communities that are included in the survey.

BC Stats produces its sub-provincial estimates by making use of the Generalized Estimation System, that model makes use of such indicators as health client registry and residential hook-ups to gauge population growth from one year to the next.

The Statistics agency notes that the estimates are designed to assist in the local and provincial government planning process.

The latest numbers from BC Stats indicate a continued
population decline for Prince Rupert

Though if the recent past is an indication, City of Prince Rupert officials tend to not to give the provincial information much attention, preferring to refer to their own estimates and for the most part don't seem to rely on the provincial numbers for their planning purposes.

The breakdown for the four largest communities in the region is as follows.

Prince Rupert -- 10,713  ( 4.35 % decline) (2016 pop. 11,200)
Kitimat -- 7,421 ( 3.60 % decline) (2016 pop. 7,698)
Terrace -- 10,289 (3.10% decline) ( 2016 pop 10,618) 
Smithers -- 5,430 (0.1% decline)  (2016 population 5,434)


The District of Port Edward held pretty close to last years findings, with the District's population estimated at 470, down by one resident from last years result of 471.

On Haida Gwaii the BC Stats results are as follows:

Queen Charlotte remains the largest community at 939 down one resident from 2016.

Masset increased its population over the last year,  listed at 867, it has seen an influx of fourteen residents.

Port Clements also saw a small uptick in the numbers, with 373 residents recorded, that's an increase of six from the 2016 numbers.

The Charts for across the Northwest, which provide a year by year comparison over the last seven years can be found below: (click to enlarge each segment)

North Coast results

Kitimat -Stikine results

Bulkley Valley results

More notes related to the 2017 Provincial population estimates can be found here (see the highlights and summary table for an expanded overview)

Last February, Stats Canada seemed to concur with the theme of population decline in the Prince Rupert area, with their overview of the population count listing Prince Rupert with a population of 12,220, that number was taken from the Statistics Canada count of May of 2016.

Further items of interest on the communities of the Northwest can be found below:

Prince Rupert
Port Edward
Terrace
Kitimat
Smithers
Haida Gwaii

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.