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Lt ¶~~mqoanaM an tÏor1 Mlitonis Community Newvspaper Since l860 - Auto Accessories ~ polstery Repairsi Wicshield Repairs 781 MAIN ST. #1 & 2, MILTuoN 876-4785 N EW S Roxul doubling in size, hiring 100 S POR T S New Heights for skiing club msniltorscanadianchampioncom A& E Yuk Yuk's hfts towin A Merolnd edi Grop pbliatin * ol.148No.2 Frday Mah 1, 207 4Pags a$1.0(inl.G.S..), MItonifs g tops in Ca Stats Can shows towný population boom biggest over pastfive years By Melanie Hennessey CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF While some people may have already thought it was true, it's now official - Milton is the fastest growing community in the coun- try Statistics Canada released information gathered during ils 2006 Census Tuesday that reveals Miltons population jumped by a stag- gering 71.4 per cent over the last five years, putting it at Top ta Canadian the top of commumities (population Canada's list 10,000 or more) with when it cornes the highesi growth to growth. rates between 2001-06 in fact, no other commu- Milton - 71.4% nity with a Okoto<s, Alta. - 46.7% population of Airdrie, Alta. - 41.8% 10,000 or Brampton, Ont. -33.3% more even Saint-Lazare, Que. - 32% tate clone o Vaughan, Ont. - 31.2% ta incrae wit Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. - 29.5% incrasewith Blainville, Que. - 29% the next in Grande Prarîr, Alta. - 27.3% line - Whitby, Ont. - 27.3% Ok o to k s, Alberta - sitting at 46.7 per cent. But for Milton Mayor Gord Krantz, the Census information on the town's growth con- firmed what the municipalily already knew. "This news comtes as no surprise to us," he said. "Plans for growth tn our community have been in place for more than 15 vears, and we've been consistently tracking the growth since the last Census was completed in 200 1. " Town CAO Mario Belvedere emphasized that staff and counicil have been working hard to manage the growth and ensure ifs halanccd. rowth HERE WE GROW AGAIN: Above, constructi, continues along Thompson Road, south of Derry Roé At right, this population sign on Steeles Avenue ca keep up wvith the ever-increasing population in town so much so that the Town is converting signs ta simI say 'Welcome' rather than display population figures. GRAHAM PAINE / CANADIAN CHAMPION "Balanced growth means that industnial development needs to keep pace with residen- tial growth, and so far we've been successful in making this happen," he said. While the Town has estimated Multons population to be around 60,000, the Census says it's actually only at 53,939. Town Economie Development Olfîcer Robbie Grewal explaîned the discrepancy resuils from the fact the Census was complet- ed 10 înonths ago and that the Town calculates its population estîmaies hased on the number of dwelling unis in Milton, meaning ifs isot an exact head count. For example, it would multtply thte îîumbr of single or semîi-detached homes in a subdivi- id. - - - m OPINION A6 sion by 3.28 to come up with the approxîmate CLASSIFIED A20 number of resideni-s living there, while for DATEINE B7 townhouses it would use 2.75 and apartments, REAL ESTATE 1 1.2.E B1 Each year in Milton, hetween 1,500 atnd www.instonca-nadianchàmplon.com 180homes are built. Inseets: 1,800 FULL DiISTIBUTION The C ensus also showed that Oakville grew -A& F* F000 tASICOýD COMts RS çoposiotL BARN -STONEY CASEE F RNIOURA TALUS MAAILITY by 14.4 per- cent beiveen 2001 and 2006, PLAAW.LARTIMMAL ITSRIBTINAOA liaIton Hilîs by 14.7 per cent and Burlington NO FRI.LS * LE ATR FORTINOS -ASHEA. FURNITURE by~~~~~~~~~~~~ nîeprcnrsHîgi llo îe AOM OAAOES* -A tAICiA CHOES SHOW by nie pe cen, reultin in liaton-ie FALCAOAN SUAAS -TRC N LAAND STRAFO SOWM A CAsT OFF SUSOA FUTURA SREETTOOSROS Popul.ao increase of 17.1 per cent. 05505BO C ATH OURE-FTR CSA TOSLS For Regional Chairmail Gary Cari, the sta- SOFFE RUS MAT tABSO tUY tistics and the [act Milton topped the country's growth list reinforce the importance of thte t ee FIGURES on page A12 www.miltontoyota.com