New data on age and housing from the 2016 census has just been released, suggesting the district is getting a little bit older, and that housing is in shorter supply, despite an increase in development.
The amount of seniors has increased to about 2,200, up from about 1,600 in 2011. This means the number of seniors relative to the population is increasing, making a gain of about two per cent.
Squamish has been called a youthful city due to the influx of younger families settling in town, and that still holds to be true.
About 10,600 people in the district are under the age of 40, up from about 9,600 in 2011.
That’s just over half of the town.
But relative to the rest of the population, the under-40 group lost two percentage points when compared with 2011 results.
Another finding which should be no surprise to Squamites is the housing crunch.
About 165 more single-detached houses have been counted, with the total amount of these homes now tallying at about 3,300. Townhouses have increased by 215, bringing the total amount to about 1,100.
But while the amount of housing is increasing, it still doesn’t seem to be keeping up with the population’s growth.
There are about 7,500 dwellings in Squamish, which works out to about three people per home. In 2011, this was 2.59, which suggests there’s less housing to go around.
By contrast, Montreal, which is recognized to be a tenant-friendly market, has about 2.02 people per home.
The Chief calculated these numbers by dividing census figures showing the total number of people by the total number of housing.
The census defines housing as a living space with its own private entrances. Individual rooms rented out in a house or apartment are not counted.
The numbers used in this article describe the population within the boundaries of district municipality of Squamish. It is not an agglomeration, which also counts people outside the boundaries who live nearby.
