On September 1, 1905, the Alberta Act came into effect and established the province of Alberta. To mark the occasion, September 1st has been designated as “Alberta Day.”

In advance of the province’s 121st birthday tomorrow, today’s Twenty-Four looks at how Alberta and its economy have grown over the years.

A popular place: Population growth

According to the 1901 Census, the region that would become the province of Alberta had a population of 73,022. By the 1911 Census, it had ballooned to 374,295 for a 413% increase in 10 years.

The growth trend continues with Alberta leading all provinces in population increase last year in both percentage and absolute terms.

As of July 1, 2025, Alberta was home to over 5 million people, representing about 12% of the national total. Alberta has the youngest population among the provinces, with a median age of 38.4 years compared to 40.6 in Canada as a whole.

The latest projections point to even more growth in the years ahead, with Alberta adding roughly 1.9 million people to reach 7 million by 2051 and passing B.C. along the way to become Canada’s third largest province.  

Economic powerhouse: GDP growth

Like its population, Alberta’s economy has grown significantly over the years. Between 1981 (when the current data series starts) and 2025, Alberta’s real GDP grew by 212% for an average annual growth rate of 2.7% compared to 170% (2.3% per year) for Canada as a whole.    

Taking population size into account, Alberta’s real GDP per capita is much higher than Canada’s. The gap has, however, gotten smaller over time, with Alberta’s real GDP per capita 42% higher than it was in 1981 versus 61% nationally.   

From agri-food and tourism to aviation and tech, Alberta has a lot of economic drivers. With that said, the oil and gas sector is the main reason for Alberta’s outsized GDP per capita performance.

Rising oil production and the advent of LNG exports from Canada are positive developments in the sector with the potential for a major new pipeline to the West Coast providing significant upside if it is built.

Answer to the previous trivia question: English is the official language of Guyana.

Today’s trivia question: What was the other province that was created on September 1, 1905?