record for the highest maximum temperature ever recorded in the province during the month of September. This occurred on September 4, 1988. The Williams Lake Airport weather station is at an elevation of while the Williams Lake River weather station is at , a difference of . Thus the average temperature is significantly warmer in the city proper than the airport. Demographics In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Williams Lake had a population of 10,947 living in 4,736 of its 5,066 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 10,753. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. According to the same census, Williams Lake had a census agglomeration population of 23,608. Ethnicity Below is the ethnic origin of people from the Williams Lake census agglomeration, as of the 2006 Canadian census. Note that percentages total more than 100% due to multiple responses e.g. German-East Indian, Norwegian-Irish-Polish. In the thirty-year period between 1986 and 2016, the population of Williams Lake has been largely stable, growing slightly from 10,280 to 10,753. Religion Education Williams Lake is served by Cariboo-Chilcotin School District 27. It has five public elementary schools teaching up to grade 6 and three StrongStart BC centres. These are Cataline Elementary (Cataline Strong Start Centre), Chilcotin Road Elementary, Marie Sharpe Elementary (Marie Sharpe StrongStart Centre), Mountview Elementary (Mountview StrongStart Centre), Nesika Elementary. There is also SD 27 OR#1 Wildwood, a StrongStart Outreach Centre. One secondary school, Lake City Secondary School, which was formed by an merger of Columneetza Secondary School and Williams Lake Secondary School in 2013, teaches grade 7 to 12 students. Alternative education provision is met by the Graduation Routes Other Ways (GROW) centre and the Skyline Alternate School program. The GROW Centre offers grades 10–12 for adults. Anne Stevenson Secondary School was closed in 2003 due to falling numbers of students. There are three independent schools in Williams Lake: Sacred Heart Catholic School (K-7), Maranatha Christian School (K-12) and Cariboo Adventist Academy (K-12). Colleges and universities Thompson Rivers University has a campus in Williams Lake and offers a wide variety of programs and courses including university transfers, certificate and diploma programs, health and safety certification, trades and technology, and university and career preparation. The Cariboo Chilcotin Elder College is a local affiliate of Thompson Rivers University that offers programs and opportunities for people who are