Smithers isn’t growing but it is getting older.
Results of the 2016 Census indicate the region hasn’t changed all that much in the last five years.
In Smithers, the population in 2011 was 5,404 and in 2016 was 5,401.
Smithers Mayor Taylor Bacharach said having a stable population is a sign of success because some smaller communities are seeing decreases.
“Our community’s population is rock stable. Stability is one of the hallmarks of our community,” he said. “It shows we have a lot of residents that are here for the long term and we have a diverse economy and those things contribute to a stable population.”
However, the senior age group is growing.
“This shows some trends that are consistent across the province and probably across the country, which is that we have an aging population, that is pretty well understood,” said Smithers Mayor Taylor Bachrach. He doesn’t think that is necessarily a bad thing.
“We have fewer young children and more seniors. That is often talked about in a negative way but I don’t see it that way. seniors contributed a lot to our community. Looking at the data, we can plan and adapt our community to the trend.”
One of the initiatives Smithers has undertaken with the changing demographics in mind is the age-friendly action plan. “It looks at our community through the lens of being as accessible as possible for different age groups, especially seniors. We came up with a list of recommendations for improving our facilities and transportation and, in general, making it easier for different age groups to have a high quality of life,” said Bachrach.
There is also another age group growing in Smithers.
“Looking at the demographics specifically for Smithers, there is some interest data, between the ages 20-30 there seems to be an increasing number of residents, which I think is quite promising,” said Bachrach.
In Telkwa, the population in 2011 was 1,350 and in 2016 was 1,327.
In Bulkley Nechako, the population in 2011 was 39,208 and in 2016 was 37,896.