As reported in the Advocate on March 18, Jason Kenney told the Rural Municipalities of Alberta that “Alberta is leading the nation’s provinces in population growth” and “the growth in population is amazing…”
Kenney is also quoted as saying “That tells me that people across Canada continue to see this province as a place of hope and opportunity.”
In the Advocate on March 20, it is reported that ATB Financial have released figures showing that in 2020 Alberta lost 2,152 people to other parts of Canada, with 1,300 of those being in the last quarter of 2020. The province has seen a net loss of 23,147 residents to the rest of Canada from 2015 to 2020.
Alberta’s population did grow by 34,213 last year but only because of “natural increase” and “net international migration.”
This does not really fit with Kenney’s words that “people across Canada continue to see this province as a place of hope and opportunity.” Perhaps the premier should have waited to comment until the ATB report came out.
Michael Thain, Red Deer