In part because there is more information available and in part because they are a larger part of our economy, we tend to focus on Alberta’s international exports. But given one of the reasons for Confederation was to create a free trade zone in the new Dominion of Canada, it makes sense to look at our exports to the roughly 34 million people who live in the other provinces and territories.

As of 2019, Alberta exported $68 billion worth of goods and services to other parts of Canada. Almost 46% of this was in the form of services compared to only 6% of our international exports.

The real value of our interprovincial exports has gone from $32 billion in 1981 to $68 billion in 2019, an increase of 112%. Their growth on a per capita basis has been more modest, going from $14,035 per Albertan in 1981 to $15,648 in 2019, an increase of 11%.

Over the same period, our trade with other countries went from $18 billion to $143 billion, an increase of 682%. On a per capita basis, international exports went from $7,958 to $32,672, an increase of 311%.

Although our trade with other countries has experienced a much greater degree of growth, our trade with the rest of Canada is still significant and is particularly important as a market for our services sector.

Answer to the previous trivia question: According to Investopedia, the Great Moderation is the name given to the period of decreased macroeconomic volatility experienced in the United States from the mid-1980s to the financial crisis in 2007.

Today’s trivia question: The latest round of trade negotiations among members of the World Trade Organization is known as _____?