Major municipalities

The largest municipality in the West Yellowhead Region, according to the 2006 Statistics Canada Census, was Yellowhead County with a population of 10,045 1.  The municipality in the West Yellowhead Region with the highest population growth between 2001 and 2006 was Drayton Valley, which experienced an increase of 13.2% or 803 residents between 2001 and 2006.  According to the latest municipal census, the Municipality of Jasper had 4,745 residents in 2008, 510 of which were part of the official shadow population2.  Whitecourt’s population rose 5.2% between 2004 and 2008 to 9,202 according to the municipal census. 

1 Note: the Census under-estimates the overall population totals for any region or municipality as some people are not counted. The reasons for this under-coverage can range from some households not receiving a census questionnaire to individuals not being included in the questionnaire completed for a household.
2 Numerical differences between the federal and municipal censuses may be ascribed to slight variations in the definition of “usual residence,” as well as how “shadow populations” are treated. While municipalities define the “shadow population” as “temporary residents of a municipality who are employed by an industrial or commercial establishment in the municipality for a minimum of 30 days” and include them in their official population numbers if they consist at least 10% of the municipality’s population or a minimum of 1,000 individuals, the shadow population of transient workers is not accounted for in population counts conducted by Statistics Canada.

Date Updated:
RDP-2373