New census data shows Collingwood’s population has jumped 11 per cent in the last five years while Owen Sound’s population has decreased by 0.3 per cent.
Canada’s population has increased to almost 33.5 million since 2006.
The national growth rate in the 2011 census data is 5.9 per cent, while the Ontario population increased by 5.7 per cent.
However, the population of Owen Sound fell to 21,688 on the May 10th census, from 21,753 in 2006 for a decrease of 65 people.
Owen Sound is not the only shrinking municipality in our region.
Georgian Bluffs saw a one per cent decrease in population size, while the Town of the Blue Mountains saw a whopping 5.5 per cent decrease.
On the other hand, Collingwood grew by 11 per cent, and Saugeen Shores saw an 8 per cent spike in population.
Wasaga Beach is still growing — the census stats show Wasaga now has 17,537 people — up about 25-hundred people from the last count, in 2006.
The population shrank in Clearview Township by 2.5 per cent.
Stats Canada says the national population now stands at 33,476,688.
The figures show that over the past five years, our country’s population has grown the fastest of all the G8 countries.
Community 2011 2006 % change
Owen Sound 21,688 21,753 -0.3
Collingwood 19,241 17,290 11.3
Georgian Bluffs 10,404 10,506 -1.0
West Grey 12,286 12,288 0.0
Southgate 7,190 7,072 1.7
Grey Highlands 9,520 9,480 0.4
Hanover 7,490 7,147 4.8
Chatsworth 6,437 6,392 0.7
The Blue Mountains 6,453 6,825 -5.5
Meaford 11,100 10,948 1.4
Saugeen Shores 12,661 11,720 8.0
South Bruce Peninsula 8,413 8,415 0.0
