Hanover is closing the gap in becoming the most populated municipality in Manitoba. In 2006, the RM of Springfield had 12,990 residents while the RM of Hanover had 11,871. Those two municipalities were the heaviest populated municipalities in the province. 2011 census data released Wednesday shows Hanover is now within striking distance. Springfield now has 14,069 residents while Hanover has 14,026. Those two municipalities still have the most residents in Manitoba.

Hanover has grown by 18% since 2006. Reeve Stan Toews admits that's much higher than expected. "We always plan on somewhere around ten per cent," he says. Toews believes the 2011 census numbers are very close to the actual number of residents living in Hanover. He says mayors and reeves in the southeast pushed hard for residents to fill out their census last year and "it looks like it did pay some dividends."

Toews admits the growth isn't only positive. "There's always challenges. It creates more burden on your infrastructure, be that your water systems, your sewer systems or your roads." However, he says "without growth there's not progress." And Toews is excited with the extra funding Hanover will now receive including higher gas tax rebates.

"There's growth happening in almost all our communities at this point," says Toews. He guesses the population increase is spread throughout the municipality.

Toews says results from the census is "very good news."