Sask.'s fastest growing communities aren't its big cities, but the ones surrounding them

Data from the latest census shows Saskatchewan is experiencing a lot of growth in the satellite communities that surround the province's largest cities.

Five of the 10 communities that saw the largest percentage of population growth between 2016 and 2021 were what are commonly known as bedroom communities. 

Martensville, Regina Beach, White City and Warman saw their populations grow by nine per cent or more in five years. 

The population centre that grew the most was Pilot Butte, a town located 18 kilometres east of Regina. Pilot Butte saw its population grow by 26 per cent from 2016 to 2021, beating out the provinces' largest population centres. 

The town's growth is not a a surprise for Pilot Butte mayor Peggy Chorney.

"They're choosing Pilot Butte because they like the small town feel. And yet they are close, relatively close, about 20 kilometres away, from a larger city, so therefore you have a lot of those amenities at your doorstep, so you really have the best of both worlds," she said. 

Regina grew by 4.8 per cent and Saskatoon grew by 7.6 per cent from 2016 to 2021.

The top 10 was rounded out by Carnduff, Sandy Bay-Wapsakokimaw and La Loche.

The exurban community

One expert said "bedroom communities" is a bit of a misnomer. They should instead be referred to as exurban communities. 

Avi Akkerman is a professor of city planning at the University of Saskatchewan.

He said a bedroom community is normally one where there would be few people during the day, as they travel and commute for jobs or for study.

That's a term that doesn't strictly apply to the growing communities like White City or Warman, Akkerman said. 

Some have now developed their own business communities and recreational centres, which means they don't empty out during the day. 

"We call them exurban communities because they are autonomous in a way they are not really dependent entirely on the mother city," Akkerman said. 

Unsurprising growth

The growth of exurban communities in Saskatchewan does not surprise Akkerman.

Such communities aren't unique to the province, he said, and like in other jurisdictions they offer the same benefits. 

"Land was cheap, relatively speaking, developers were enticing people to come in and buy relatively cheap homes, and banks were enticing people to take out the relatively cheap mortgages," he said. 

Akkerman said there's very little chance that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic had a significant effect in people choosing to move out of large towns and into the bordering satellite communities. Instead, people were likely looking to get more space or save money. 

"It's a logical consequence of people thinking rationally, households considering their expenses and trying to move to a place that is most expedient from every perspective," Akkerman said. 

Now the factors that may have drawn people to the exurban communities could be changing, Akkerman said. 

Inflation is up, meaning expenses are higher. While a longer commute may have not been a concern when gas prices were relatively low, a volatile energy market could change the price of a drive to the office in the bigger city. 

Planning ahead

For politicians like Chorney, challenges like that mean planning for growth well ahead of its arrival. 

That's why there hasn't been growing pains in Pilot Butte, despite the province-leading growth. 

"We have been very strategic in our infrastructure, so we are prepared for growth, and council and administration have set a plan in place so that our infrastructure can support continued growth," she said. 

Chorney said the town's growth is welcome and it is prepared for even more people.

"We do see more programs and services that the residents are wanting," she said. "So yeah, I see that ongoing growth, but still that with that small-town feel."