How many people do you think there are in Squamish now?
Some would say 15,000 or so, some say 17,000 or even more, judging by the number of townhouses flying up every week.
But the official population is 14,263. That's the number from the last census in 2001, and when it comes to official statistics - like the ones they use to figure out how much money they give out for government programs - it's the one that counts.
It was quite a shock to people when that number was announced about three years ago - most people thought it was a lot higher even then, since the last census from 1996 had the town skyrocketing from barely 10,000 souls back in 1991 to 13,900-some in 1996. But the official count only showed a net gain of 300 people in Squamish in those five years.
In some cases, that census did Squamish a favour. It saved us several hundred thousand dollars a year in policing costs, since communities over 15,000 people have to pay a much larger share of the RCMP bill.
But in other areas where government cash or services are doled out based on population, that number hasn't helped us. There are reasons why nearly every federal government service you want to access means a trip down to Vancouver.That's why it's very important that you welcome Big Brother this week when he arrives in your mailbox.
That's right, it's census time again.
The census is no vague, anonymous survey, either. It wants a lot of information, some of it very personal - where you're from, where you've lived and worked, how much money you make, who you live with and what you do in your spare time, right down to (literally) yard work.
In an era of suspicion over government nosiness and fears of identity theft, people might feel uneasy about handing over that kind of personal information to anyone, especially Ottawa. There's even a category asking you to allow the government to unseal your personal information for public historical research - not until the year 2098, of course, but the thought is still a little unnerving.
But it's more important than ever to fill out your census form. That information is used by all levels of government to determine what services are needed in our community and where they should be located.
And when it comes to a great many important programs - ones that fund based on population, like education and health care - the only numbers they go by are the official census counts. If you aren't there, neither are the dollars or the programs your child, your grandparents or you yourself need to access.
As for privacy, your information is protected by law. Not even the Canada Revenue Agency can get your census information to audit your tax return.
When Census Day comes on May 16, make sure you're counted. You don't even have to stand up to do it - just sit down, get comfortable and fill it out.
