Tom Henihan
Express Staff
The Town of McLennan and the Village of Girouxville are carry out a new census taking commencing on May 1, as these municipalities believe the numbers from the 2016 federal census are not accurate.
According to last year’s census, both communities experienced a relatively large decline in population but CAO’s and councils in both communities believe that the decline in population is not as great as the census suggests.
According to the last federal census, McLennan’s population went from 809 residents in 2011 to 701 in 2016, a loss of 108 people representing 13.3 percent of the population.
Girouxville’s population was 266 in 2011 and according to the recent census that number dropped to 219 over the last five years, a loss of 47 residents or 17.7 percent of the population.
These census numbers have a substantial affect on the amount of provincial funding municipalities receive. The provincial government allows a fixed amount for each resident so when communities lose 13.3 percent and 17.7 percent respectively the affect is substantial on funding for the next four years.
Smoky River Economic Development is providing some support to McLennan and Girouxville to undertake the new census.
Diane Chiasson, outside of her role as Economic Development Officer with SRRED, has been contracted to coordinator the census. The enumerator begins going door to door on May 1 and Chiasson anticipates the process should be completed by the end of May.
The results of the new census will be officially recognized by the provincial government so residents should make every effort to cooperate with the enumerator to ensure an accurate result.