Statistics Canada ups Moosomin count by 117 people
Agency says it missed 74 dwellings, estimates 70 are occupied by a total of 117 people
January 23, 2023, 7:56 am
Kevin Weedmark
Call it a virtual population boom. Moosomin’s official population, reported by Statistics Canada, is up 4.3 per cent overnight.
After the results of the 2021 census were released in 2022, showing a small decline in Moosomin’s population after one of the largest increases in rural Saskatchewan between the 2011 and 2016 censuses, the World-Spectator reported that the number of households reported in Moosomin in the census was less than the number of households the town sends water and utility bills to, and that residents of some senior residences said their entire buildings had been missed, despite calls to Statistics Canada to try to be included.
The town of Moosomin asked for the census to be reviewed, and Statistics Canada replied last week that it has reviewed and changed the official census count for Moosomin.
“Statistics Canada has undertaken a detailed investigation and confirmed that the population and private dwelling counts were incorrect,” Lise Rivais of Statistics Canada wrote to the town last week.
“The investigation involved a detailed analysis of all the documents and procedures used by census enumerators during the 2021 census. The census enumeration records were examined, street by street, for each part of the town. Maps were checked to verify current boundaries and confirm that all population and dwellings within those boundaries were correctly allocated.
“The investigation found that 74 private dwellings were missed by census enumerators, 70 of which are estimated to be occupied by 117 usual residents. Those 74 private dwellings will be added to the total dwelling counts for Moosomin and 117 additional persons will be added to the population count.”
Moosomin Mayor Larry Tomlinson is not happy with Statistics Canada’s efforts.
“I’m very disappointed,” said Tomlinson. “I don’t think they did anything, I really don’t. I think they just came up with a number they thought would make us happy. It looks to me that they did nothing—they didn’t do any more actual counting or anything.”
Tomlinson said he isn’t confident that the new number is accurate.
“I think all they did was just try to appease us a little bit. I have no confidence in the new number at all. I don’t think they did anything.”
Tomlinson said he would like to see Statistics Canada do a total recount of Moosomin’s population. “I thought that’s what we might get, but evidently not. I’m going to phone Dr. Robert Kitchen to see if he can get us a recount, so we’ll see where that goes, but it’s very disappointing actually.
“All they did was a little poking around here and there, and I think the number still might be low. I’m still not sure if they ever did get the seniors’ homes. Some of our funding hinges on it so we’re going to pursue it some more.”
“Statistics Canada has undertaken a detailed investigation and confirmed that the population and private dwelling counts were incorrect,”
Esterhazy numbers to be reviewed
Statistics Canada will be reviewing Esterhazy’s census number as well.
“Statistics Canada will first review our internal database, but may subsequently request additional documentation to help substantiate the error in the form of administrative records (e.g assessment records, utility records, customer addresses, building permits, election lists or recent census counts), Derek Cheuk of Statistics Canada wrote to the town of Esterhazy.
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