A new report released by Statistics Canada shows the population of the City of Greater Sudbury has increased for the first time since 1993.
The report, Migration 2002/03, reviews migration in Canadian cities. The report shows that between July 1, 2002 and June 3-, 2003, a total of 5,763 new residents settled in Greater Sudbury. When compared to the number of residents leaving the community, the total net increase in population was 326.
This is an increase of 827 over the previous year, as net migration was minus 501 for the period of July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002.
Greater Sudbury Mayor David Courtemanche is encouraged by the results.
?Any increase in population is an indication of a strengthening economy and positive trends in our efforts to attract new residents through quality of life initiatives,? said Courtemanche, in a news release.
Doug Nadorozny, the city's general manager of economic development and planning, said the results reflect new employment opportunities.
?Greater Sudbury has been an exciting number of economic development initiatives over the past year that are contributing to employment,? he said.
Economic highlights between July 2002 and July 2003 included the opening of a new animation studio in downtown Sudbury, expansion of the RioCan Centre, a record number of housing starts and the launch of major capital expansion projects at Pioneer Manor and the Greater Sudbury Airport.
