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Low energy prices and high unemployment have forced people out of their homes in droves, spiking housing vacancies to levels not seen in well over a decade, census figures show.

Calgary’s 2016 civic census revealed that while the city’s population increased slightly to more than 1.2 million in April, more people moved out of the city than arrived here.

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Analysts said the economic turmoil driving out-migration has also led to a dramatic increase in housing vacancies. More than 20,800 units were empty in April, a 67 per cent spike over last year’s levels, which brought the vacancy rate for dwellings to 4.3 per cent, according to the census.

The vacancy rate hasn’t been this high since 2004, when the rate was 4.33 per cent and Calgary had reported the lowest level of migration in 12 years. A city hall analysis of historical housing data shows there are more vacant units in 2016 than in any of the past 16 years.