By Kevin Werner, News Staff

Hamilton remains within the province’s top five municipalities with a population of nearly 520,000, according to Census Canada’s 2011 population data.

Statistics Canada, which released its 2011 census information Feb. 8, revealed that Toronto, Ottawa, Mississauga, and Brampton continue to have higher growth rates ahead of Hamilton from the period between 2006 and 2011. Brampton had the highest growth rate among the top five cities at 20.8 per cent, followed by Ottawa’s 8.8 per cent growth rate.

Toronto’s population is 2.6 million, while Ottawa has 883,391 people.

Hamilton’s population in 2011 was set at 519,949, with a growth rate of 3.1 per cent.

The city’s rising population is significant, considering both provincial and municipal planning strategies, such as the controversial airport employment growth district, are based on a continuing population incline. For instance, by 2031, Hamilton is projected to have a population of 660,000 people, and 80,000 more households, according to its Growth Related Integrated Development Strategy. Provincial and local planners predict that 4 million people will settle in the Golden Horseshoe, and that 1.75 million new homes and 1.7 million additional jobs will be needed.

Milton had the highest population growth rate in the country at a robust 56.5 per cent. The municipality, with recently approved building the 2015 Pan Am velodrome facility, saw its population shoot up from 53,889 in 2006 to 84,362 in 2011.

Thunder Bay had the lowest population decline from 6,585 to 5,909, with the municipality seeing a 10.3 per cent drop in its growth rate.

Census officials blamed structural changes within the Ontario economy, especially the auto industry, for the slower growth rate of 5.7 per cent. The province’s growth rate is the lowest level the census has seen since the period between1981 and 1986.

For most of the municipalities, the slower growth rates were  due to people relocating to the booming western provinces. About 200,000 Ontario residents moved to other provinces. Ontario received about 96,000 fewer immigrants over the past five years, with a lot of them locating in more prosperous provinces out west.

All of Canada’s western provinces experienced above average growth rates, including Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.Yukon had an 11 per cent growth rate, followed closely behind Alberta at 10.8 per cent.

Canada’s overall population jumped to 33.5 million, a growth rate of about 5.9 per cent, the highest among the G8 countries.  Between 2001 and 2006, Canada’s growth rate was 5.4 per cent.

Over the year Statistics Canada will be releasing such information as sex and age, households, marital status, and language.