Economists say migration from Alberta during a recession isn't unusual. The province recorded a net loss of 2,535 people in the third quarter of this year. (CBC)

Alberta lost more people to other parts of Canada than it gained in the third quarter of 2009, a first in 15 years for the once booming province.

Babies and new immigrants helped Alberta's population grow by .44 per cent, or 16,300 people, from July to October, slightly above the national average, according to Statistics Canada numbers released Wednesday.

But at the same time, Alberta posted a net loss in inter-provincial migration of 2,535 people. Alberta saw 20,790 move to the province from other parts of Canada but saw another 23,325 people leave.

"That kind of migration, inter-provincial migration, is often linked with economic cycles," said Statistics Canada demographer Julien Berard-Chagnon.

"Despite these losses, Alberta's population grew mainly because of international immigration and natural increase … more births than deaths."

The biggest draw was neighbouring British Columbia, which attracted about a third of the departing Albertans and saw an overall inter-provincial migration gain of 3,500 people. Twenty-five per cent of those who left Alberta went to Ontario and 13 per cent went to Saskatchewan.

Population decrease 'a blip' caused by recession

Bart Johnson, a spokesman for the Ministry of Finance and Enterprise, said he thinks the population decrease is "just a blip" related to the fact that Alberta is in a recession.

"We expect employers to start hiring again in the new year, including in the oil and gas sector — and we do expect as a result of that continued population growth," Johnson said.

Todd Hirsh, a senior economist at ATB Financial, said out-migration from Alberta to other provinces is typical during a recession.

"Because so much of Alberta's labour force arrived over the past few years from other provinces, it is logical that job-seekers may decide to return home if they find themselves out of work in Alberta," he said in an analysis of the data.

About 3.7 million people now live in Alberta, the fourth most populated province in the country.

Other highlights of the third-quarter population results:

• The Yukon posted the biggest population growth (.92 per cent), largely because of inter-provincial migration gains.
• British Columbia saw a gain in population of .56 per cent.
• International migration helped boost the populations of Saskatchewan (.47 per cent) and Manitoba (.35 per cent).
• Ontario (.38 per cent) and Quebec (.36 per cent) also saw population growth because of international migration.
• The population grew in every Atlantic province, with Prince Edward Island showing the biggest gains (.28 per cent), despite losses in its migration exchanges with the rest of the country.

As of Oct. 1, Canada's population was estimated at 33,873,400 people.