% population growth is an exciting number, but absolutely population growth (and job growth) is actually what matters. And by that metric, the Core is growing as fast or faster than the Westshore
As per the article above:
"The majority of that growth is likely to occur on the Westshore, notes BCS, where the population will balloon from its 2018 estimate of 83,100 individuals to 125,400 (a net increase of 42,300) at a growth rate of 51%."
"Showing a growth rate of 14.5%, the core municipalities are on-track to accommodating 304,500 individuals, an increase of 38,500 over 2018. Dwellings will increase to 137,900-units from the current 111,300-units, a rise of 24%."
And that's with the core having assumed View Royal, which for two decades was considered a Westshore municipality until the CRD transferred the designation. I suspect that the Westshore will reach sustained growth parity with the core by the 2026 census (in 2016 the Westshore grew by 8,791 vs. the core's 12,887; in 2011 it grew by 10,187 vs. the core's 3,571) with the gap widening far above the forecasted 3,800 by 2038.