Community growth ... some numbers you should know

There has been growing discussion over the past 10 months about a lack of “growth” in Hinton. If it's population we are looking at, then the numbers do speak to a flatline and regression since 1996. Hinton experienced explosive growth that saw our population double from 4,307 in 1966 to 8,629 in 1986 and then jump to 9,961 over the next decade. All the following population numbers are according to the Stats Canada census from the years listed:

1966 – 4,307

1971 – 4,911

1976 – 6,731

1981 – 8,342

1986 – 8,629

1991 – 9,046

1996 – 9,961

2001 – 9,405

2006 – 9,738

2011 – 9,640

There was also a municipal census conducted in 2009 that showed a population of 9,812.

Is it commercial growth we look to? Many have pointed to business closures in the past year. Some of those – like the Bargain Shop and SAAN – are sweeping corporate decisions made by people pretty disconnected from our community. Others, like Sports Traders or Hinton Home Furniture, were locally managed and appeared to fill a need, but couldn't make a go for whatever reason. But that is a glass half-full perspective as you need to also consider that businesses like Trail Furniture and Scooper Dooper and Gourmet Lunch Box have all opened their doors in recent months, as has the Smoke Shop on Swtizer Drive and the new pawn shop on Pembina Avenue. And let's not forget that Vicious Cycle also chose to establish a shop here. But what do the numbers say? The following are the number of business licences issued by the Town of Hinton for the past eight years, according to a Town study released this past month. The home-based business numbers were kindly provided by the good people in Town administration at my request.

2005 – 515

2006 – 540

2007 – 545

2008 – 560

2009 – 589 (155 home-based businesses)

2010 – 585 (214 home-based businesses)

2011 – 554 (209 home-based businesses)

2012 – 533 (194 home-based businesses)

The numbers have definitely dropped since 2009 – by almost 56 licences – which isn't indicative of a business community on the upswing. The reason I had the home-based licence numbers sent to me was because I wanted to make sure the overall business licence drop wasn't attributed to just a big drop off in home-based businesses. That doesn't seem to be the case.

If you want a look at how Hinton has done with regard to development permits, another indicator of economic growth, here is a chart showing the numbers dating back to 2007. The chart was found on the Town of Hinton web site. This year's numbers are current up to Aug. 31.

For a more complete year-to-year  comparison of housing starts and development permits please click here.

As you can see, housing starts for 2013 have already surpassed the totals for each of 2010, 2011 and 2012. Development permit revenues have also already surpassed both 2011 and 2012. So that's good news, but is this the front end of some much-needed sustained growth or just a blip on the radar?

How confident is everyone in the growth prospects for the Town of Hinton and area, with or without the possibility of Coalspur?

There are a lot of factors that dictate growth in a community ... what are the factors you think are most affecting the rate of growth? We'll be looking a little closer at these things in blogs and columns for the coming weeks, so we'd love to incorporate what ideas and theories are making their way around Town. Post here or if you want to be more discreet with your thoughts then email news@hintonvoice.ca.

We'll be publishing a column of mine in the Sept. 12 issue of The Voice that talks a little bit more about the population perspective by breaking down some more interesting Stats Canada data and outlining key events that have affected Hinton since reaching our peak population in 1996.