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Mayor Naheed Nenshi believes the city’s latest census demonstrates the economy is slowly recovering, with data revealing slightly more people moved to Calgary last year than departed, following a mass exodus in 2016.

The 2017 census pegs Calgary’s population at 1.25 million, an increase of 11,166 people or just under one per cent from the previous year — a stark difference from the record-setting population increases seen in boom years.

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New births are mainly behind the bump in residents, with a natural increase (more births than deaths) of 10,192.

The rest of the population jump is due to the fact 974 more people moved to Calgary than packed their bags and left over a 12-month span, the equivalent of two or three people a day.

“On the net migration number, it absolutely is showing the signs of the beginning of a recovery because people are optimistic about moving here,” the mayor said.

Adam Legge, president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, said while businesses in Calgary feel the rock bottom of the downturn is over, the numbers show the road to recovery won’t be easy or anything like previous economic swings.