Statistics Canada's release of 2016 census data contained a little nugget of good news for Greater Sudbury.
The city's population grew by 0.8 per cent since the last head count in 2011, bringing the city's population to 161,531 people.
The growth was small, to be sure, but the Nickel City was the only major city in Northern Ontario to see its population grow in the past five years.
The population of Sault Ste. Marie fell 2.4 per cent to 73,368 people, the numbers show. In 2011, 75,141 people called the Soo home.
Elliot Lake saw the biggest shrinkage in population, falling 5.3 per cent, while Timmins fell 3.2 per cent and North Bay dropped 2.6 per cent.
The population of Thunder Bay stayed basically the same at 121,621 people.
Between 2011 and 2016, Canada as a whole grew by 5 per cent. Today, 35,151,728 people call the land of the maple leaf home.
