Langley Township was one of the fastest-growing municipalities in B.C. during the last five years according to the Census, and Langley City wasn’t far behind.

The Township’s population leaped by 13.1 per cent since 2016, from 117,285 people to 132,603 as of the snapshot the Canadian Census captured in 2021.

Mayor Jack Froese noted that this rate of growth is in line with the Township’s goals, which are to grow at about three per cent a year.

Langley City’s population rose by 11.9 per cent, from 25,888 to 28,963 people.

Langley grew at a considerably faster rate than British Columbia, which saw growth of 7.6 per cent since 2016, with the provincial population rising to 5,000,879 from 464,055.

The real population may be even higher.

Statistics Canada noted that the official data is, to a certain degree, an under-count. Recent population estimates suggested there are more people in B.C. and Langley than are listed in the official Census.

Estimates released in January suggested there were more than 137,000 people in the Township, but the estimate for Langley City was almost identical to the Census count.

B.C. grew faster than any other province except Prince Edward Island, which grew by eight per cent.

According to Statistics Canada, the country remains the fastest growing in the G7, at nearly twice the rate of the organization. The main driver of population growth, the agency noted, was immigration, not fertility. Immigrants account for around 80 per cent of new people in Canada between 2016 and 2021.

READ ALSO: Langley grows, Vancouver shrinks

Have a story tip? Email: matthew.claxton@langleyadvancetimes.com