Yorkton is now home to 19,588 people according to the latest Covered Population Report from the province's Ministry of Health: an increase of more than 11 percent in the last year.
Saskatchewan as a whole grew by 1.53 percent in 2010, making it the fastest-growing province in Canada.
Yorkton's increase of nearly 2,000 people over its 17,608 population in 2009 is a sharp jump compared to the years of relatively flat growth that preceded it.
The city's population rose by just five people between 2008 and 2009, and by about 600 people in the seven years prior to that.
"It's very exciting to see that our population has grown so significantly in this space of time," said Juanita Polegi, executive director of the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce. "I think people are recognizing that there's so much opportunity here in Yorkton, with the college, and the airport, and the industry and mining that's going on."
Demographic data included in the report allows the identification of certain trends in the population shift. Much of the year's growth occurred in the 20-to-39 age range, whose population increased by 14.5 percent overall.
Even larger percentage growth was seen in the 55-to-64 age range, where the increase was about 18 points. Yorkton's small 95-plus population rose from 65 to 84, for an increase of 29 per cent.The population rose in all age demographics except the less-than-one-year group, which dropped from 229 to 215 (6 percent).
The Covered Population Report is based on eligibility for health insurance benefits in Saskatchewan, and does not include members of the military, RCMP officers, inmates of federal prisons, or people who have not yet met residency requirements.
