Manitoba Capital Region experiencing rapid growth

Capital region experiencing rapid growth Josh Crabb on how one community's loss is another's gain when it comes to population growth in Manitoba.

Population growth in several Winnipeg bedroom communities outpaced the city and the province’s overall population increase.

Census data released Wednesday shows the R.M. of Ritchot was one of the fastest growing municipalities in Manitoba’s Capital Region over the past five years.

The population grew 21.9 per cent between 2011 and 2016. The R.M. of Ritchot had a population of 6679 people as of the 2016 Census. That’s compared to 5,479 people in 2011.

The rate of population growth in the province was 5.8 per cent, it was 6.3 per cent in the city of Winnipeg and 6.6 per cent in the Census metropolitan area of Winnipeg.

Experts said the numbers show that people are choosing a range of different living options.

R.M. of Ritchot Mayor Jackie Hunt attributed the growth to the approval of a development plan six years ago, which set out where the municipality was allowed to develop new lots.

She said people followed, choosing to leave Winnipeg to live in Ritchot.

"It was a time where the city was having a housing shortage. Prices were going up, and so they were starting to look where else can we go," Hunt said.

"In general, Manitoba's population has increased and most people are going to migrate to the big centres, and the capital region is where we sit and we're very fortunate for that."

Manitoba Professional Planners Institute member Ross Mitchell, a senior planner with Sison Blackburn Consulting Inc., said with growth comes with pressure.

Mitchell said it's up to planners and political leaders to create communities in municipalities surrounding Winnipeg that contain schools, shopping centres and higher density housing options.

"There's growth in the capital region and that growth is good," Mitchell said. "People want to live where they want to live, and we have to accommodate that."

Downtown Winnipeg also on the rise

Downtown Winnipeg also experienced population growth, according to the new Census data.

The numbers show the population spiked 6.9 per cent over the past five years.

Mitchell said that’s no surprise given the development of new residential projects, the addition of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the popularity of places like The Forks.

"The transformation over the past 30 years has been nothing short of remarkable," Mitchell said.

CentreVenture Chair Brent Bellamy said since 2011, there were 27 downtown residential projects completed, creating 1600 new units. He attributed the growth to the city and province’s tax increment financing program.

“It’s more vibrant on the sidewalks. There’s lots more happening, restaurants are coming,” Bellamy said. “It still needs that help before (downtown) stands on its own.”

“Pretty much every residential development in the last five years has taken advantage of the TIF program,” Bellamy said. “Without it, I think we would see considerably less residential development downtown.”