Cochrane Five Year Strategic Plan | Page 12

Town of Cochrane Strategic Plan – Final Report October 2014 4.0 Environmental Scan This environmental scan provides a social and economic snapshot of Cochrane as of September 2013. It informs our understanding of the socio-cultural and economic forces that will affect Cochrane’s decisions over the next several years. Sources of information for the scan include: • Primary data from public consultations, focus groups and interviews. • Secondary data from Statistics Canada, various documents supplied by the Town of Cochrane (Appendix B) and other reliable information sources, all of which are referenced in footnotes. The environmental scan describes how five major factors impact activities, quality of life and decision-making for the municipality: 1. Socio-demographic Factors. 2. A Technological Profile. 3. Economic Factors. 4. Environmental Factors. 5. Political and Regulatory Factors. 4.1 Socio-demographic Profile 4.1.1 Population Growth & Size Consistent with population trends across Northern Ontario, the Town of Cochrane has experienced a decline in population since the early 2000s (Figure 4.1), despite the fact that Ontario’s population rose overall during that period. 1 Figure 4.1: Population of Cochrane, 1996-2011 5700 Population 5600 5690.00 5690 5500 5487.00 5487 5400 5340.00 5340 5300 5200 5100 5000 2001 2006 2011 Year 1 Statistics Canada. (2012). Census Profile for Cochrane 2011. Available at: http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/censusrecensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm? 10