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