The Langleys are in step with the rest of Metro Vancouver, with lots of growth over the five years between the 2006 and 2011 censuses.

The latest numbers from the Canadian census were released Wednesday, and show that Langley Township has 104,177 residents, up from 93,726 counted in 2006. That's an 11.6 per cent jump in the number of people calling the Township home.

"That's what we anticipated, at least on average, about two to 2.5 per cent [growth] a year," said Ramin Seifi, the Township's development manager. Growth has been at that level for almost 20 years, Seifi said.

Langley City increased in size by 6.2 per cent, from 23,606 residents to 25,081. That reversed a trend seen in the last census in which the number of City residents fell slightly.

Together, the two Langleys had a population, last year, of just under 130,000 people.

Langley Township is growing faster than the average for both the province and the region.

The average rate of population increase across Metro Vancouver is 9.3 per cent, while in B.C. it's seven per cent.

The high rate of growth presents some serious challenges for Township staff, who must build and maintain the infrastructure, from roads and sidewalks to streetlights and shrubs in the boulevards.

"We are struggling as it is with our growing infrastructure," Seifi said.

However, as Langley grows there is hope that it will finally be able to get more resources from regional governments.

"Hopefully, the census results will give us more ammunition to demand more resources and attention," Seifi said.

Much of the growth in Metro Vancouver is taking place outside of the City of Vancouver, which had growth well below the provincial average.

The City of Vancouver saw an increase in population from 578,041 to 603,502, just 4.4 per cent.

Langley's neighbours all experienced higher rates of growth than Vancouver. Surrey grew at a staggering 18.6 per cent rate from 394,976 to 468,251.

Abbotsford grow by 7.4 per cent to 133,497 from 124,258 people.

If Surrey continues to grow at that rate, its population will be larger than Vancouver's in about a decade.

Exceptions to the rapid growth South of the Fraser were Delta and White Rock, which both grew by just a little more than three per cent. Delta's population is just under 100,000 people, while White Rock has 19,339 people.

LANGLEY TOWNSHIP

Population 2006: 93,726 Population 2011: 104,177

Growth rate: 11.6%

LANGLEY CITY

Population 2006: 23,606 Population 2011: 25,081

Growth rate: 6.2%

METRO VANCOUVER

Population 2006: 2.1 million Population 2011: 2.3 million Growth rate: 9.3%

mclaxton@langleyadvance.com