Red Deer experienced a growth spurt in 2023 to push the city's population to 109,262, a 3.4 per cent increase from the previous year.
Between July 2022 and July 2023, the Red Deer metropolitan area grew by 3,608, according to Statistics Canada.
Included in that growth were 1,277 Canadians who moved to the city, which was the highest interprovincial migration the city has seen since 2005-06.
Mayor Ken Johnston said he anticipated a post-COVID wave from other provinces for several reasons — lower housing costs, favourable taxation, being located between Alberta's two major cities, a world-class post-secondary, and the city's extensive trail system and outdoor amenities.
"I have run into so many people from other parts of Canada, particularly in the last 18 months, that have made the decision to come for those kinds of reasons so it's quite a great story," Johnston said.
The expansion of Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre will also be a catalyst for continued growth, along with the new Justice Centre and the prospect of a high speed rail through Central Alberta, he added.
"There is going to be opportunity in Red Deer that we haven't seen for quite a while. It's a pretty exciting place to live in Canada.
"Savvy investors, those who are looking for a good, steady growth curve, should be looking at Red Deer for sure."
He said the current level of growth is manageable with new housing starts, like in Capstone, plans for a new middle school for Red Deer Public Schools, and a 17 to 18-year supply of land that the city can utilize to expand.
The data from Statistics Canada showed Red Deer's recent growth also included 1,776 non-permanent residents (those from another country with a work or study permit and possibly family, or with refugee status); 1,035 births; and 510 immigrants (permanent residents or landed immigrants).
Across the country, the metropolitan area of Calgary had the largest population increase at 5.9 per cent when 95,784 moved to that city, followed by Edmonton with a 4.1 per cent increase, or 63,215 people.
Lethbridge, Red Deer's rival for third largest city status in Alberta, also grew by 3.4 per cent to reach a population of 135,230.
But Johnston was undeterred, and said it's the population figures in next federal census in 2025 that counts.
"Any of these other numbers, for me, they're unofficial at this point," he said about the friendly dispute.