February 15, 2019
The value of homes sold in Alberta fell 9.6 per cent in 2018, going from $22.8 billion in 2017 to $20.6 billion in 2018.
February 14, 2019
Alberta's manufacturing sales fell to $6.1 billion in December. That's 4 per cent lower than November and 11 per cent below October.
February 13, 2019
Albertans are having fewer babies according to the most recent fertility rate data.
February 12, 2019
The breakdown by town and city in our province reveals some interesting trends on who gives the most.
February 11, 2019
When it comes to pitching in and getting things done, Albertans are known for their tireless volunteerism. Our willingness to pitch in with cash is also something that sets us apart.
February 08, 2019
Alberta lost about 15,500 positions in January, most of them being full-time positions (-14,600). The number of part-time jobs decreased by 900.
February 07, 2019
Home builders started construction on just over 19,000 new homes in December, hitting the second lowest monthly total of 2018.
February 06, 2019
Sometimes entrepreneurs create their own job by offering their skills and knowledge as a solopreneur; sometimes they create a business that has a small staff; and sometimes they grow into major operations that appear on stock exchanges.
February 05, 2019
Theories abound as to why self-employment rises and falls from year-to-year.
February 04, 2019
In November, the average weekly earnings of those in energy extraction was $2,750. That’s well over twice the average pay of employees in all industries.
February 01, 2019
According to new population estimates released by Statistics Canada, Alberta’s population grew by 63,115 between 2017 and 2018.
January 31, 2019
Average weekly earnings increased by 6.6 per cent for employees in all industries in Alberta between November 2012 and November 2018.
January 30, 2019
Alberta has always been home to a disproportionately high number of corporate head offices. But, in recent years, things have started to change.
January 29, 2019
Alberta’s economy remains strong by global standards, despite the recession.
January 28, 2019
Net interprovincial migration to Alberta returned to positive in 2018, but just barely.
January 25, 2019
The number of Albertans collecting regular employment insurance benefits dropped again in November.
January 24, 2019
Alberta’s manufacturing sector took a hit in November, with monthly sales falling by 6.8 per cent compared to the previous month.
January 23, 2019
The sound of cash registers ringing and debit cards tapping in November was a positive sign for the Alberta economy.
January 22, 2019
In its latest report, the IMF projects global economic growth of 3.5 per cent in 2019 and 3.6 per cent in 2020, news that is important to Alberta’s economy.
January 21, 2019
Last week, The Owl reported prices for goods and services in Alberta were up 2.1 per cent compared to a year earlier. Today, we examine the overall food bill.
January 18, 2019
According to Statistics Canada, the Consumer Price Index rose 2.1 per cent in December compared to a year ago.
January 17, 2019
Sales of cars and trucks flatlined towards the end of 2018.
January 16, 2019
Despite the recession being in full-swing in Alberta in 2016, the underlying strength of the province's economy is shown by having the highest median after-tax income in the country that year.
January 15, 2019
The median after-tax income in Alberta was $70,200 in 2016.
January 14, 2019
Total consumer bankruptcies in Alberta are nearly ten per cent higher compared to last year. Consumer proposals grew 2.3 per cent from October to November and are up 27.4 per cent from last year.
January 11, 2019
November's building permits for both residential and non-residential projects totaled $1.068 billion in Alberta, up slightly from October but below the 2-year average of $1.15 billion.
January 10, 2019
Alberta's job vacancy rate dipped a tenth of a percentage point in the third quarter of 2018, landing at 2.9 per cent.
January 09, 2019
Global trade continues to look uncertain. Here in Alberta, however, the trade picture is looking a bit brighter.
January 08, 2019
Alberta's labour market added 21,600 more jobs in 2018 compared to 2017, with the majority of positions coming from the private sector.
January 07, 2019
For the first time in three decades, Alberta’s annual average unemployment rate was above the national number for a third consecutive year in 2018.
December 21, 2018
After hitting a record high in the spring of this year, shoppers in Alberta appear to be losing some of their enthusiasm for spending.
December 18, 2018
The number of EI recipients in Alberta edged down 1.1 per cent in October, landing at 47,200. Compared with 12 months earlier, the number of beneficiaries was down by 24.2 per cent, the largest year-over-year decline among all ten provinces.
December 17, 2018
Following continued growth in 2018, Alberta’s potato production is now virtually tied with that of P.E.I. Over the last twenty years, Alberta’s production is up 132 per cent while P.E.I.’s is down 18 per cent.
December 14, 2018
New survey results show small and mid-sized business enterprises are feeling more pessimistic about the future direction of the provincial economy.
December 13, 2018
The average household in Alberta spent $6,424 on food purchased from stores in 2017. That’s down 10 per cent from the peak amount spent in 2015.
December 12, 2018
The number of homes sitting vacant in Alberta's major cities, with no intended buyer, is the highest it's been in close to a decade. Both Edmonton and Calgary have an oversupply of hundreds of homes, a level that's likely to continue.
December 11, 2018
Provincial building permits valued $952 million in October, representing a 4.5 per cent decline over September’s total and a 5 per cent dropped from October of last year.
December 10, 2018
Home builders started construction on 26,359 new homes in Alberta last month. This brings the average number of housing starts over the last twelve months to 26,005, down nearly 10 per cent from the previous twelve month period.
December 07, 2018
The number of people working in Alberta grew by 23,700 (1.0 per cent) in November, according to Statistics Canada. Full-time employment increased by 1.9 per cent while part-time employment decreased by 3.1 per cent.
December 06, 2018
Total capital spending on oil and gas extraction in Canada was $9.3 billion in the third quarter of this year. That’s the second lowest quarterly total in the last five years and the third consecutive quarterly decline.
December 05, 2018
Alberta cannabis retailers rang in a million dollars worth of sales on opening day in October, then quickly ran out of supply. Sales of cannabis have risen at a rate of 1.5 per cent in Canada over the past year and a half.
December 04, 2018
Prices for popular gift items rose more slowly than other consumer goods over the past 30 years. Clothing and footwear are up just 17 per cent since 1988. Recreation and home entertainment system prices have dropped by more than 40 per cent.
December 03, 2018
Stacking up the provinces over the last twelve months for which we have data, British Columbians are in first place for spending on "fun" items, including electronics, clothes, sporting goods and books. Alberta came in at a close second.
November 30, 2018
The highest income earners in the province are in oil and gas extraction ($2,090 per week) while the lowest are in accommodation and food ($447 per week).
November 29, 2018
Average weekly earnings for Albertans are unchanged over the past year and remain the highest in the country. On average, people in this province earn 14 per cent more than their counterparts across the country.
November 28, 2018
While Albertans continue to spend quite a bit of money on eating out, not every restaurant or restaurant worker is seeing the benefits of higher sales.
November 27, 2018
Retail sales rose half a percentage point between August and September, bringing total spending 0.5 per cent off the record high achieved in May of this year. Total sales were 2.7 per cent higher compared to the same month one year earlier.
November 26, 2018
The unemployment rate remains high, averaging 7.9 per cent last year and 6.7 per cent so far this year.
November 23, 2018
ATB Financial’s newest Alberta Economic Outlook is forecasting real GDP growth for Alberta of 2.1 per cent in 2019. Other key findings include slow but consistent growth in employment and challenges with heavy oil pricing.
November 22, 2018
In almost every year since 2006, there have been more new business openings than closures. The one exception is during the recession of 2016, when there were more Alberta businesses closing than opening.
November 21, 2018
The sale of goods to businesses, institutions and governments reached $6.9 billion in September. Although September’s total marks a decline of 0.4 per cent from August, sales were up 5.2 per cent from the same month a year earlier.
November 20, 2018
In September, 21,323 cars, trucks and SUVs were sold in our province (ringing in at $994 million).
November 19, 2018
Today is Women’s Entrepreneurship Day so it’s a good time to take a look at Alberta’s self-employed women entrepreneurs.
November 16, 2018
The value of shipments from all manufacturers in Alberta was $6.7 billion (seasonally adjusted), representing nearly a 2 per cent increase from August.
November 15, 2018
When it comes to Alberta’s 25 largest export categories, sales of products related to our natural resource base have seen the most growth in recent years.
November 14, 2018
Natural gas accounted for 42 per cent of Alberta’s international merchandise exports in 2005 compared to 27 per cent for crude oil. In 2017, it was 9 per cent for natural gas versus 59 per cent for crude oil.
November 13, 2018
Alberta’s GDP grew at a rate of 4.4 per cent in 2017, according to Statistics Canada. The rate is the highest of all the provinces and above Canada's growth rate of three per cent.
November 09, 2018
Housing starts in October dipped to just over 18,000, representing a drop of 18 per cent from the previous months and is nearly half the rate of two months earlier. It's the lowest since May of 2009.
November 08, 2018
Considering a much longer time horizon can often yield interesting perspectives. This is especially true when looking at household income.
November 07, 2018
For the past three years, the number of young Albertans aged 15 to 24 who are either employed or looking for work has shrunk. Compared to older generations, the labour force for those 55 or older has grown.
November 06, 2018
Albertans are familiar with the cacophony of construction. But according to the latest read on building intentions, those noisy construction sites are set to quiet down a bit in 2019.
November 05, 2018
Statistics Canada notes that the higher propensity to innovate by Canadian businesses may reflect the availability of affordable and accessible technological solutions.
November 02, 2018
Alberta's total employment declined by about 2,700 jobs from September to October, a loss made up entirely of part-time positions. At the same time, 4,400 people joined the labour market, pushing the unemployment rate to 7.3 per cent.
November 01, 2018
Calgary’s new 240,000 square-foot Central Library is opening to the public today. The new library comes with a hefty $245 million price tag, however the economic benefits are sure to outweigh the cost.
October 31, 2018
Extraction and production are on the rise in Alberta. The province has gone from extracting under 2 million barrels a day in 2010, to more than 3.7 million barrels a day as of August of this year. Production is up 238,000 over last year.
October 30, 2018
Digging into our hourly wages to examine who is earning the most and the least in Alberta.
October 29, 2018
Not everyone gets paid the same amount. A variety of different factors means wages across occupations vary greatly.
October 26, 2018
unning a business can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be a stressful one with finding and managing staff, and the financial stability of the business cited as key sources of stress.
October 25, 2018
Working Albertans saw an improvement in take home pay in August. According to the most recent payroll data from Statistics Canada, average weekly earnings in the province rose to $1,168.
October 24, 2018
For most employees who find themselves without work, Canada’s system of employment insurance (EI) provides some financial benefits. But those benefits have a timeline.
October 23, 2018
After reaching a record high in July, restaurant and bar receipts fell slightly in August.
October 22, 2018
The latest wholesale numbers confirm that Albertans and Alberta’s businesses are playing a significant role in helping with the province’s economic recovery, but this could slow in the months ahead.
October 19, 2018
Retail sales in Alberta were virtually unchanged between July and August and spending was only 1.2 per cent off the record high achieved in May of this year. Total sales were 2.5 per cent higher compared to the previous 12 months.
October 18, 2018
The number of people receiving employment insurance dropped in August, down to 52,300. The last time EI numbers were this low was back in the spring of 2015, when Alberta’s economy was just starting to feel the effects of the recession.
October 17, 2018
Alberta's manufacturing sales took a break in August. The value of shipments from all manufacturers in Alberta was $6.6 billion (seasonally adjusted), representing nearly a one per cent drop from July.
October 16, 2018
One indicator of the gradually improving economy in Alberta has been the job market. Finding good quality employment is often a challenge, but for women, there are signs it is improving.
October 15, 2018
For dozens of communities along the western and northern regions of Alberta, it’s not cattle, wheat or even oil that drives the economy. It’s forestry.
October 12, 2018
Statistics Canada estimates unreported economic activity totalled $51.6 billion in 2016—about 2.5 per cent of the entire Canadian economy. Alberta’s underground economy accounted for 1.9 per cent of its total economy.
October 11, 2018
Any way you cut it, the United States is Alberta’s most important international customer.
October 10, 2018
The pace of building is expected to slow over the next couple of years due to building permits continuing to trend lower.
October 09, 2018
Housing starts across the province dropped to the lowest we've seen this year.
October 05, 2018
Employment Alberts declined by about 2,900 part-time jobs in September compared to August. The loss of 6,800 part-time jobs was partially offset by an increase of 3,800 full-time jobs.
October 04, 2018
Calgary is still reeling from the recession with an office vacancy rate of 27.8 per cent. Edmonton is faring better but still not great, at 15.7 per cent.
October 03, 2018
One of the best barometers of consumer optimism is new vehicle sales. And in Alberta, the value of those shiny new cars and trucks has returned to record-high territory.
October 02, 2018
The amount spent on going out to restaurants and bars in Alberta is slowly catching up to the amount spent at grocery and liquor stores.
October 01, 2018
In Part One of The Owl's look at population growth, we examined how Alberta continues to be among the fastest growing provinces in Canada. Now, we'll look at why.
September 28, 2018
Alberta's population grew by 1.5 per cent over the last year, giving it the third-fastest growth rate among the provinces, behind only Ontario and Prince Edward Island. The national average was 1.4 per cent.
September 27, 2018
Average weekly earnings for Alberta employees came in at $1,148 in July, up nearly 2 per cent from 12 months earlier. The rise is largely due to a 9 percent growth in earnings in Alberta's retail trade sector over the last 12 months.
September 26, 2018
Albertans continued their love of eating out this summer spending a record amount at bars and restaurants.
September 25, 2018
Compared to other provinces, Albertans don’t appear to be holding on any more or less tightly to their spending money than most other Canadians.
September 21, 2018
As of the 1981 Census, 36 per cent of Canadians age 15 and over had a post-secondary credential. Ten years later, the number had risen to 43 per cent.
September 24, 2018
Higher levels of supply and stagnant house prices in Alberta’s main cities aren’t doing much to slow housing construction in our province.
September 20, 2018
Seven in 10 Albertans age 25 to 64 with a trade certificate or college diploma were employed in 2017; it’s almost eight in 10 for Albertans with a university degree.
September 19, 2018
There is a wide range of benefits associated with post-secondary education, but getting a well-paying job afterward is often at or near the top of the list.
September 18, 2018
One of the key indicators of economic health is manufacturing shipments. And according to the latest data released by Statistics Canada, the level of activity is nearly back to where it was before the recession.
September 17, 2018
After a slight increase during the recession in 2015, total consumer insolvencies have been remarkably stable. A more troubling trend is brewing with consumer proposals.
September 14, 2018
In the second quarter of 2018, businesses filed a total of 41 insolvencies. That’s up from only 31 in the first quarter of the year and represents the third highest level in a quarter since the downturn of 2014.
September 13, 2018
The average number of Albertans who identify as being self-employed is about six per cent higher in 2018 than it was in 2017.
September 12, 2018
In an upcoming special Owl series, we are taking a deep dive into the economic value of getting a post-secondary education. But before we do, we're taking a look at tuition costs.*
September 11, 2018
How do young job seekers in Alberta compare to those in other provinces?
September 10, 2018
Alberta’s economy may be picking up momentum in the latter half of 2018, but the reality for thousands of job seekers is that it’s still tough to find a job. This is especially true for young people.
September 07, 2018
Alberta's labour market roared back to life in August, adding 16,300 net new jobs after the setback in July. August's job total was the best of this year and the highest since December 2017.
September 06, 2018
According to the survey, 44 per cent of respondents live pay cheque to pay cheque and 38 per cent of respondents spend all of, or more than, their net pay.
September 05, 2018
Housing construction is a good economic barometer. But can the level of activity be out of sync with actual economic conditions?
September 04, 2018
The news these days is about the bitumen pipeline from Alberta to the west coast. But quietly, a growing volume of oil from our province’s oilsands is finding its way to markets regardless.
August 31, 2018
In the first quarter of 2018, just under 3,000 people from Saskatchewan moved to Alberta. That was partially offset by some people moving in the opposite direction, but the net result was a gain of 1,304 people for Alberta.
August 30, 2018
Wages in Alberta are just 0.7 per cent higher than they were last year. June’s average weekly earnings total was 1.5 per cent lower when compared to the 12 month trend.
August 29, 2018
Prices have gone up for everything from hydraulic pumps and drilling platforms to compressors and heavy equipment used at drilling sites. Energy producers who need imported machinery are paying even more.
August 28, 2018
June’s total was 1.5 per cent higher than May’s. Compared to June of last year, sales were 2.3 per cent higher. Over the last complete 12 months, total receipts are up nearly 3 per cent compared to the previous 12 month period.
August 27, 2018
ATB has lowered its growth forecast by a tenth of a percentage point and is forecasting real GDP growth of 2.6 per cent this year, and 2.2 per cent in 2019.
August 24, 2018
ATB Financial’s latest Alberta Economic Outlook suggests the province’s economy continues to grow.
August 23, 2018
The number of people receiving employment insurance benefits in Alberta was unchanged last month, coming in at 53,200 people. Between May and June, the province only added 2,000 jobs. It lost 3,600 jobs in June.
August 22, 2018
Alberta retail sales stayed near record levels in June and continued to hover around the $7 billion mark. It's another sign that consumers in our province have faith in the economic recovery taking place.
August 21, 2018
Alberta summers are a time for drinks on the patio, digging in the garden and yes, road construction. And while that construction can be frustrating during the morning commute, it's a necessary part of the season.
August 20, 2018
It hasn’t always been the case, but prices for Alberta’s two major cash crops — wheat and canola — have been relatively stable over the last few years.
August 17, 2018
Alberta's price inflation clocked in at 3.5 per cent last month, with the highest price movement for a single group of goods being energy. Compared to the same time last year, total energy prices have grown a whopping 25 per cent.
August 16, 2018
Sales of manufactured goods reached their highest level in two and a half years in June.
August 15, 2018
As Alberta continues its economic rebound in 2018, housing starts have also picked back-up, at least partially.
August 14, 2018
It’s a good day to be a Calgarian. The city by the Bow was just ranked the fourth most livable city by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
August 13, 2018
Canada doesn’t often make headlines for quarrelling with other nation-states, but it did recently. Last week, Saudi Arabia took exception to Canadian criticism.
August 10, 2018
For the second month in a row, Alberta’s labour market shed more full-time than part-time positions. While there was a significant rise in the number of part-time jobs (+18,100), it wasn’t enough to offset the loss of full-time positions (-21,700).
August 09, 2018
The wounds inflicted by a deep recession can take a long time to heal fully.
August 08, 2018
Even though some economic indicators like retail sales in Alberta are hitting record highs, the latest drilling data show that the province's economic recovery is slow-moving.
August 07, 2018
MoneySense magazine recently ranked towns and cities across the country, including here in Alberta. The Owl is focusing in on some of the results.
August 03, 2018
According to the latest figures from Statistics Canada, Alberta exporters continued to do well in June of this year. The value of goods sold abroad totaled $10.3 billion, the highest level since late 2014, before oil prices started to swoon.
August 02, 2018
The Producer Price Index shows 3 major inputs in the construction sector—diesel fuel for heavy equipment, softwood lumber, and ready-mix concrete—have risen in price over the last 20 years, though their price movements have varied greatly.
August 01, 2018
The size of Canada’s economy surged in May. It was the strongest growth spurt so far this year.
July 31, 2018
If you were around in the 17th century, the Netherlands was the place to be. Much of Europe during this time looked to the Netherlands for trade, science, art and tulips.
July 30, 2018
In May, wholesale activity reported its fifth increase in the last six months and sales reached the highest level on record in Alberta.
July 27, 2018
A new study suggests ill health can reduce not only an individual's income but that of the entire household.
July 26, 2018
In May, the average weekly earnings of Alberta employees was $1,150, 15 per cent above the national average earnings of $998 per week.
July 25, 2018
With US-Russian relations in the news, it’s a good time to take a look at Alberta’s economic connections to Russia.
July 24, 2018
Alberta’s festival season is in full swing and for many people that means patio pints and dining out. The latest stats show restaurant and bar receipts are holding steady.
July 23, 2018
Alberta shoppers spent more than they ever have in May as total retail sales reached a record high.
July 20, 2018
In some parts of our province, gasoline prices are fetching $1.40 per litre. For some drivers, refuelling their cars and trucks has never been more expensive.
July 19, 2018
Alberta spent $2.36 billion on commercial, industrial and institutional construction projects from April to the end of June, reflecting a nearly $64 million drop from the first quarter.
July 18, 2018
How do Albertans perceive the value of going to university versus going to college or learning a trade? We asked them, and this is what they shared.
July 17, 2018
In another sign that the 2015-16 recession is behind us, shipments of manufactured goods from Alberta reached the highest total in about three and a half years.
July 16, 2018
In the first quarter of this year, 2.6 per cent of the jobs in the province were waiting for a qualified candidate. That compares with 2.0 per cent at the beginning of 2016 and 2.2 per cent at the beginning of 2017.
July 13, 2018
In July, the composite price of framing lumber in North America hit US$564 per thousand board feet. That’s the highest price on record and more than double the price at the start of the decade.
July 12, 2018
Housing starts were stable in the first half of 2018. The average between January and June was just under 28,000 homes (annualized rate)—almost the same average seen over the last 3 years, which included 2 years of recession.
July 11, 2018
Online book stores were the most popular place to spend money online in the last year. The share of people who made a purchase on Amazon was virtually equal between the groups aged 25 to 34 (50 per cent) and 35 to 44 (51 per cent).
July 10, 2018
According to the polling firm Numeris, 76 per cent of Calgarians over the age of 18 made a purchase online in the past year. In Alberta’s capital city, only 68 per cent of people aged 18 or over opted to buy something this way.
July 09, 2018
The top four sectors—construction, oil and gas, professional and scientific positions, and manufacturing—accounted for 44,500 new jobs. Jobs in the public sector accounted for a gain of only 5,700 jobs.
July 06, 2018
Alberta saw the creation of some 2,000 new jobs in June, adding to the nearly 3,000 positions created in May.
July 05, 2018
Last month, OPEC and cooperating non-OPEC countries, like Russia, agreed to raise production for the first time since late-2016.
July 04, 2018
Today's Owl focuses on our American friends and their impact on our economy, particularly when it comes to tourism.
July 03, 2018
Restaurants and bars are an important contributor to our economy. And while receipts are holding steady, success is not always on the menu for Alberta’s restaurateurs.
June 29, 2018
According to Statistics Canada, the number of vehicles sold in Alberta in April was up about six per cent from March. Total sales reached $1.0 billion and amounted to 22,417 vehicles.
June 28, 2018
Average weekly earnings in this province topped $1,153 in April, unchanged from May and up 2.4 per cent from a year ago. Earnings are also up 4.6 per cent from May 2016, which was the lowest point during the recession.
June 27, 2018
To get a better sense of what Albertans like to do while at home in the province we asked ATB customers to tell us. Here's what they said.
June 26, 2018
According to Statistics Canada, the decline continued to be strongest in our cities. In Edmonton, the number of recipients fell 7.3 per cent, in Calgary the number slid 3.5 per cent.
June 25, 2018
Are energy prices rising more quickly than overall prices? The Owl takes a look.
June 22, 2018
Alberta retail sales rose to $6.79 billion in April (adjusted for seasonality). Over the last complete twelve months, total retail spending in Alberta is up 5.7 per cent compared to the previous 12-month period.
June 21, 2018
Employment growth among Indigenous Albertans grew by 36 per cent between 2007 and 2017, outpacing the 14 per cent growth in employment seen among the non-Indigenous population during the same time frame.
June 20, 2018
While Alberta has typically been the recipient of interprovincial migration, it does experience occasional periods of net outflow.
June 19, 2018
During the recession, Alberta experienced net interprovincial out-migration of workers to other parts of Canada. But it wasn’t only Canadian citizens leaving.
June 18, 2018
With the recent aluminum tariffs placed on imports by the US government, brewers in the US are expecting to pay a lot more for aluminum cans.
June 15, 2018
The Owl is taking a deeper look into Alberta's trade relationship with the US. We asked ATB's team that researches and writes Perch to help. The following is the final edition of a three-part series, a petite version of Perch.
June 14, 2018
The Owl is taking a deeper look into Alberta's trade relationship with the US. We asked ATB's team that researches and writes Perch to help. The following is the second of a three-part series, a petite version of Perch.
June 13, 2018
The Owl is taking a deeper look into Alberta's trade relationship with the US. We asked ATB's team that researches and writes Perch to help. The following is the first of a three-part series, a petite version of Perch.
June 12, 2018
With the 2018 FIFA World Cup starting this week, The Owl is turning its attention to tourist spending on sports in Canada.
June 11, 2018
Rising levels of vacant housing in Alberta’s main cities and stricter mortgage lending rules are doing little to slow new housing construction in our province.
June 08, 2018
Alberta’s employment picture continues to improve, albeit at a rate many would still describe as frustratingly slow.
June 07, 2018
Oil and gas extraction is the larger of the two industries. By a lot.
June 06, 2018
The latest building permit data indicate that Alberta’s construction sector will slow as the year progresses.
June 05, 2018
The Owl takes a peek at operating costs on the farm including how expenses associated with farming have risen over time and how profitable agriculture has been lately.
June 04, 2018
According to new data from Statistics Canada, total farm cash receipts in Alberta topped $14.1 billion last year–a record high.
June 01, 2018
With all of the news on oil and pipelines this week, its timely for The Owl to examine what’s happening to oil extraction in our province.
May 31, 2018
Albertans have long enjoyed higher pay cheques than Canadians in other provinces. But the recession narrowed that gap—and that smaller gap appears to be sticking around.
May 30, 2018
Alberta’s economic output–in good times and bad–is simply in a different league than the other provinces.
May 29, 2018
Even though Alberta’s GDP started to grow again in 2017 (and will continue to do so in 2018), the hangover created by the recession of 2015-16 is still being felt by many Albertans.
May 28, 2018
Restaurateurs and pub owners are welcoming patrons back after what has been a tough few years.
May 25, 2018
The number of Albertan beneficiaries has been on the decline for five consecutive months and March was no different. That month saw a two per cent drop in claims over February, representing 1,480 people.
May 24, 2018
The economic boom of 2006-07 more than doubled construction costs, but the recession of 2009-10 brought them back down. Prices rose more gradually during 2012-14, then fell modestly through 2015-16.
May 23, 2018
In March, the total sales of products to businesses, institutions and governments, reached $6.7 billion. March’s total meant that sales were up 5.6 per cent from the same month a year earlier.
May 22, 2018
Alberta’s economy is once again expanding with most major economic indicators moving in the right direction. ATB Financial releases its latest Alberta Economic Outlook today.
May 18, 2018
Oil pipelines, oil prices, oil sands – in short, oil gets a lot of attention in Alberta, and rightly so. But it wasn’t that long ago that the big game in town was natural gas.
May 17, 2018
For many Albertans, the May-long weekend is the first real chance to fire up the barbeque, pack our coolers full of our favourite wine and beer and (hopefully) soak up the sun.
May 16, 2018
The sale of manufactured goods in Alberta continues to improve and help fuel economic growth in the province.
May 15, 2018
At two points, we see Alberta spending on renovations jump noticeably above the rest of the country—and in each case, a natural disaster is a factor.
May 14, 2018
The recession didn’t stop us from buying cars and trucks altogether—we just altered what kind of vehicles we bought.
May 11, 2018
Albertans looking for work may still be having a challenge. But the latest snapshot of the jobs market may be pointing towards an encouraging trend.
May 10, 2018
The US decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal rippled through oil markets this week. The Owl considers how this will affect oil prices going forward.
May 09, 2018
The value of total building permits in Alberta climbed to $1.31 billion in March, an increase of more than nine per cent compared to March of last year.
May 08, 2018
The food and accommodation industry has long relied on a ready supply of young people willing to work for lower wages in exchange for valuable job and life experience. In Alberta, this is changing.
May 07, 2018
Step aside pick-up trucks! You’re no longer the favourite type of vehicle in Alberta - although you still come pretty close.
May 04, 2018
Last year, total potato production in Alberta reached a record 20,500 hundredweight—or just over two billion pounds.
May 03, 2018
Alberta has had the highest participation rate of any province every year since at least 1976.
May 02, 2018
We're releasing the latest Perch today! This edition explores some of the key features of Alberta’s labour force. Among these is a long history of above-average job creation.
May 01, 2018
Cannabis consumption varies across the provinces. In Alberta, consumption is some of the highest in the country.
April 30, 2018
An increasing number of new houses are sitting vacant in Alberta’s major cities suggesting that an overbuild of new housing is forming in the province.
April 27, 2018
The Owl looked at how workers in some sectors put in much longer hours than others in yesterday's edition. But that’s not the only measurement that varies: growth in the size of the paycheque differs even more.
April 26, 2018
Albertans pride themselves in working hard for their paycheques—and even though finding work is still a challenge for thousands of people, those who have jobs are working some long hours.
April 25, 2018
While we seem to notice the increases more than the decreases, it’s generally true that gas prices have tended to outpace overall inflation.
April 24, 2018
Annual spending at restaurants and bars in our province has increased every year since 2010, even during the recession of 2015-16. But could the growth in the food and beverage sector be beginning to slow?
April 23, 2018
Sales of products to businesses, institutions and governments, also known as wholesale trade, continue to perform well in Alberta. Total sales reached $6.8 billion in February.
April 20, 2018
In February, Albertans outspent the average Canadian by an average of $213 per month. This emphasizes the strength of the provincial economy after a significant recessionary period. But this could change...
April 19, 2018
The province's unemployment rate fell from 8.2 per cent in February 2017, to 6.7 per cent in February of this year. At the same time, Alberta’s labour market gained close to 45,000 jobs.
April 18, 2018
Alberta’s main interprovincial exports are mineral fuels and refined petroleum products. Combined, these categories accounted for 35.9 per cent of Alberta’s domestic exports in 2014.
April 17, 2018
Alberta may be a major supplier of goods and services to other provinces, but it's also a great customer.
April 16, 2018
North American framing lumber prices smashed through US$500 per thousand board feet last month, according to a U.S. forest industry association. That's a record high.
April 13, 2018
The latest snapshot of the Job Vacancies report suggests that slightly more jobs are going unfilled in Alberta compared to a year earlier.
April 12, 2018
Housing starts in 2018 are stable but have not returned to their pre-recession levels.
April 11, 2018
Alberta's population grew by a respectable 4.3 per cent between 2014 and 2017. But our overall growth masks some big differences within the province.
April 10, 2018
With a trade war brewing between the United States and China, it’s useful to take a look at Alberta’s exports into the Chinese market.
April 09, 2018
In 1997, there were 88,900 Albertans whose main job was farming or ranching. By 2016, this was down to 50,800–a drop of 43 per cent.
April 06, 2018
It may not be the bonanza of new jobs that a lot of Albertans had become used to in the first half of the decade, but the employment situation in our province continues to improve gradually.
April 05, 2018
One of the best ways to tell if the economy is growing or in a recession is by tracking new vehicle sales. In Alberta, car and truck sales confirm that an economic expansion is forming.
April 04, 2018
With temperatures still below zero and plenty of snow on the ground, it may feel like it's not heating up, right? The good news is that it is, at least when it comes to oil prices.
April 03, 2018
A few weeks ago, The Owl explored how consumer bankruptcies and proposals are rising in Alberta. But what about businesses? How are they managing in the post-recession?
April 02, 2018
Siblings are often famous for their rivalries--and for Alberta, there’s been no shortage of rivalries with our sister provinces to the west and east.
March 29, 2018
Yesterday, The Owl explored how average weekly earnings of employees in Alberta have trended higher over the last year. But not all pay cheques are created equally. Within that growth, there is a wide disparity of earnings across sectors.
March 28, 2018
Employees in Alberta earned an average of $1,147 per week in January. This is unchanged from the previous month but a gain of 3.1 per cent from January of last year.
March 27, 2018
Many would think the rise of automated checkouts and online shopping would affect retail employment but, since 2000, employment has increased in Alberta by nearly 86,000 positions (+34 per cent).
March 26, 2018
One of the ways we take the pulse of Alberta's economy is by looking at how much Albertans are spending at restaurants and bars.
March 23, 2018
Albertans’ debit and credit cards were a bit busier in January as retail sales reached a record high in the province. Compared to the beginning of 2017, sales were 2.1 per cent higher at the start of 2018.
March 22, 2018
One of the most telling signs of economic hardship in Alberta is the pressure it puts on household finances, particularly borrowing. To be sure, credit can be used effectively and wisely. But at times consumers find themselves stretched to the limit.
March 21, 2018
The Owl is taking the time this week to share some of the results from ATB Financial's latest Business Beat survey. Today’s edition breaks down the economic and business optimism levels by industry.
March 20, 2018
ATB’s Business Beat survey asked small and medium-sized Alberta businesses in January and February how they felt the economy would be doing in six months and found out they're thinking positively.
March 19, 2018
For the first time in a little more than three years, sales from Alberta factories and shop floors have reached pre-recession highs.
March 16, 2018
The average number of weeks Albertans were unemployed last year was the highest it has been since at least 1976.
March 15, 2018
Employment income for working Albertans fell 8.8 per cent in 2016, and totalled $51,700. The median employment income reached $39,400, a 4.4 per cent reduction from a year earlier.
March 14, 2018
Recently, refining utilization rates have risen back to 12-year highs. Part of this is because of the difficulty Canadian oil exporters are having in shipping product to refineries in the U.S.
March 13, 2018
Economists are well-known for their esoteric and academic sounding terminology. One of the wonkier terms is a popular indicator called the “capacity utilization rate.” Despite what its name would suggest, the indicator is remarkably simple.
March 12, 2018
Alberta’s home builders had a good year in 2017, but at the end of last year, home builders pulled back. Now, at the start of 2018, the pace of building appears to be trending lower.
March 09, 2018
February’s job report shows Alberta gained 2,300 net new jobs. At first glance, this looks positive, but diving deeper into the data, the news is less encouraging.
March 08, 2018
After impressing for much of 2017 and actually growing year-over-year in January (+5.3 per cent), residential housing intentions fell 10.7 per cent ($82-million) from last December.
March 07, 2018
As of January 2018, only eight per cent of respondents put the provincial economy on the very good end of the scale (a rating of eight or higher on a scale of zero to ten).
March 06, 2018
Compared to the previous December, when bankruptcies reached 401, the number of personal bankruptcies in Alberta is down by a little more than 13 per cent.
March 05, 2018
Compared to their peak in 2014 ($97.8 billion), capital expenditures in Alberta will be down by 45 per cent this year and by 22 per cent compared to the 10-year average (69.7 billion).
March 02, 2018
At 45.5 per cent, the proportion of jobs held by women is about four percentage points below the proportion of women in Alberta’s working age population.
March 01, 2018
During the final month of last year, Albertans spent $789 million at restaurants and bars across the province, the highest total on record.
February 28, 2018
Canadian forestry looked like it was in big trouble but, despite steep tariffs, recent lumber pricing suggests the the sector may be performing better than many expected.
February 27, 2018
Alberta tax filers donated $1.61 billion in 2015 compared to $1.44 billion in 2016 for a decline of 10.8 per cent.
February 26, 2018
Last year, retail sales in our province finished 7.5 per cent higher compared to 2016. With retail sales ending 2017 on such a positive note, today’s Owl looks at what types of retailers benefitted from Albertans’ spending.
February 23, 2018
Earnings among working Albertans have been trending up since last spring, a sign the economic recession is behind us.
February 22, 2018
Sales at Alberta retailers grew at 7.5 per cent in 2017, with the province's growth rate nearly one percentage point higher than the national average.
February 21, 2018
EI statistics are a tricky economic indicator because they are sensitive to the parameters of the EI program as well as the ups and downs of the economy.
February 20, 2018
The most recent wholesale trade numbers confirm that Alberta’s retail sector is starting the year on solid footing. That’s because last December, total wholesale activity in the province reached $6.8 billion, the third monthly increase in four months.
February 16, 2018
For six consecutive months, sales from Alberta factories and shop floors have continued to grow, suggesting that Alberta’s manufacturers are back to business.
February 15, 2018
All signs point to growth for Alberta’s economy in 2018. Still, challenges continue, with the unemployment rate stubbornly high and some businesses in the province struggling.
February 14, 2018
Whatever your feelings are about Valentine’s Day, it’s a good excuse to eat extra chocolate!
February 13, 2018
Mature workers have enjoyed an unemployment rate lower than the average. But during and after the recession, the jobless rate for mature workers has been more volatile.
February 12, 2018
Despite the recession having technically ended more than a year ago, many Albertans are still struggling to find work. That struggle is especially daunting for young workers.
February 09, 2018
The January labour market report shows the province lost 5,900 jobs in January, breaking the pattern of strong job growth set during the last three months of 2017.
February 08, 2018
Alberta’s housing sector has been a key driver for the construction industry, but that segment of the industry is set to slow this year.
February 07, 2018
Statistics Canada's final set of building permit data for 2017 points to a slowing construction sector in Alberta this year.
February 06, 2018
Foreign buyers continue to provide stability for Alberta's economy, offering markets for the $100 billion worth of oil, natural gas, beef, wheat, canola and other products the province has to sell.
February 05, 2018
Canada’s economy shot ahead in November of last year, according to the latest report from Statistics Canada. In that month, Canada’s economy was 3.5 per cent larger than it was in November of 2016.
February 02, 2018
Quebec may produce the most maple syrup in the country, but that’s not the only sweet and delicious liquid in town. Honey has become to Alberta what maple syrup is to la belle province!
February 01, 2018
The amount of bitumen moving by rail is back to near-record territory, another sign that Alberta’s oil sands producers are gradually recovering from the oil price meltdown of 2015 and 2016.
January 31, 2018
In anticipation of Canada’s legalization of cannabis this year, the country’s second largest cannabis producer is buying one of its rivals.
January 25, 2018
Albertans continued filling their shopping carts and grocery baskets in November, a trend that suggests the recession blues are in the past.
January 24, 2018
For two months in a row, restaurant receipts in Alberta have fallen. During November, Albertans spent $759 million at restaurants and bars across the province.
January 23, 2018
While many important economic indicators are pointing towards recovery, personal bankruptcies are lagging behind the trend.
January 22, 2018
The latest wholesale trade numbers confirm that Albertans and Alberta businesses continue to have faith in the province's economic recovery.
January 19, 2018
In November, sales from Alberta factory and shop floors reached the highest level seen in 2017. Total manufacturing shipments grew 1.2 per cent from October and reached $6.1 billion. Compared to one year earlier, shipments were up more than 10 per cent.
January 18, 2018
At the end of 2017, Alberta’s labour market had been making headway after two years of recession.
January 17, 2018
Consumer spending is always a great indicator of how the economy is performing, particularly since consumption drives such a large portion of the economy.
January 16, 2018
The sight of construction cranes have dotted Alberta’s horizon for years—and even heading into the recession, non-residential building continued to advance.
January 15, 2018
Alberta’s energy sector has started the year with mixed news.
January 11, 2018
It’s likely that in 2018 one of the top economics and business stories will continue to be cryptocurrencies.
January 10, 2018
One of the best forward-looking indicators available to economists is building permits issued by municipalities.
January 09, 2018
Home builders in Alberta had a good year in 2017, particularly given the fact that the economy was crawling out from under two years of recession.
January 08, 2018
Alberta job seekers are finally starting to see a bit of relief, and last year ended on a high note with over 26,000 new positions in December alone.
December 22, 2017
In perhaps the most convincing evidence that the recession is over, more people from the rest of the country are once again choosing to move to Alberta than those who are leaving.
December 21, 2017
It’s too early to tell if Albertans are spending more on Christmas presents this year, but new data suggests that some of us may have more gifts to unwrap.
December 20, 2017
Many working Albertans wouldn't have noticed any change in their bank accounts in October compared to September.
December 19, 2017
Yesterday, The Owl reported that about 13 per cent of household spending went to food last year. But what is the dollar value of that, and where are those dollars being spent?
December 18, 2017
There’s a belief in this province that the cost of living is much higher than elsewhere in the country. But is this true?
December 15, 2017
Alberta stands out among the provinces in terms of the proportion of its manufacturing output that is sold into the domestic market.
December 14, 2017
Even though Alberta’s manufacturers produce a wide range of products, about 80 per cent of what we make here is linked to our bounty of natural resources.
December 13, 2017
Alberta’s manufacturing sector was hit hard during the recent recession with annual sales falling by 21.4 per cent between 2014 and 2016.
December 12, 2017
The world’s most popular digital currency has made its world debut on futures markets.
December 11, 2017
New housing construction is a great gauge of economic confidence—few purchases are ever as big as a new home.
December 08, 2017
Entry-level employment is rarely glamorous or high paying, but those first jobs are critical for gaining valuable work experience.
December 07, 2017
New data reveals that Alberta’s construction is set to slow in 2018.
December 06, 2017
For the most part, Alberta performed better than many anticipated at the beginning of the year.
December 05, 2017
What is Bitcoin, how has it grown so much and what does it mean for the future of currency?
December 04, 2017
A look at monthly aircraft movements at Alberta’s three major airports, and what it means.
November 30, 2017
The fact that working Albertans had a little extra money in their pockets in September compared to August is another sign that the economic recovery is building momentum.
November 29, 2017
According to the 2016 Census, more Canadians find themselves making the drive to work.
November 28, 2017
The number of Albertans filing for bankruptcy is growing.
November 27, 2017
Despite the growing diversity within Alberta’s farm crops, one famous flowering farm staple remains well ahead of all others.
November 22, 2017
The participation rate for people aged 55 and above was 46.6 per cent in October, close to a record high.
November 21, 2017
The strength of Alberta’s wholesale sector continues to be supported by the province’s retail industries.
November 20, 2017
Alberta’s economy is gaining momentum, with oil and gas, agriculture, food processing, tourism, retail and manufacturing all experiencing growth.
November 17, 2017
The latest data shows that Alberta’s Consumer Price Index in October was marginally higher than September.
November 16, 2017
Alberta is home to 24 per cent of Canada’s highest earners
November 15, 2017
According to the latest data, some travellers in Alberta are seeing room rates rise, while others are seeing them fall.
November 14, 2017
Employees in Alberta’s food and accommodation sector are the lowest paid in the province.
November 13, 2017
Today's Owl examines wages of the highest paid workers in Alberta: those who work in oil and gas.
November 10, 2017
Oil prices are moving higher, retail sales continue to grow and demand for new housing has kept its rapid pace.
November 09, 2017
Even though building activity in Alberta’s non-residential sector has slowed, overall, activity has been stable.
November 08, 2017
The latest report from Stats Canada shows there was little change to its earlier GDP calculations.
November 07, 2017
Beyond cattle, wheat and canola—see the growth in lentils and dry peas, lesser-known but expanding crops.
November 06, 2017
There’s nothing like good old-fashioned sibling rivalry—especially among Canada’s children of Confederation, the provinces.
November 03, 2017
While Albertans are still digging into their Halloween candy, the real treat of the week may have come in October’s job report.
November 02, 2017
Alberta’s Indigenous population is younger and growing faster than the general population—which is good news for our labour market and retail sector.
November 01, 2017
The latest restaurant receipts data show that during that month of August, Albertans spent $771 million at restaurants and bars across the province
October 30, 2017
After surprising experts and analysts this year, housing starts in Calgary & Edmonton are forecast to be impacted in 2018.
October 27, 2017
The latest drilling data from the Alberta Energy Regulator shows that Alberta’s energy sector will be central to of the province’s return to growth.
October 26, 2017
After falling flat in July, wages crept higher in August.
October 25, 2017
Alberta is home to 15.5 per cent of the total Indigenous population in Canada.
October 24, 2017
As we pull out of the economic downturn, it is a good time to think about the important work done by our nonprofit sector.
October 23, 2017
Measuring vehicle sales per capita and comparing these to the rest of the country reveals an interesting trend.
October 20, 2017
After shaking off the recession blues in the spring of this year, shoppers in Alberta curbed their enthusiasm somewhat over the summer months.
October 19, 2017
One of the hardest hit segments of Alberta’s economy during the economic downturn was the province’s labour market. This year, however, employment has made some real strides.
October 18, 2017
After two months of declines, sales from Alberta factory floors were up 1.2 per cent to $5.8 billion in August.
October 17, 2017
Between 2014 and 2016, the average number of people employed in Alberta fell by 0.5 per cent.
October 16, 2017
New data on non-residential construction investment shows construction activity is slowing in the province.
October 13, 2017
Alberta was home to 11.7 per cent of Canadians last year but accounted for 27.3 per cent of the country’s natural increase.
October 12, 2017
Between January 2015 and June 2017, net migration to Alberta from other countries added 80,000 people to our population.
October 11, 2017
As the price of oil continues to hover around $US 50 per barrel, oil production levels in the province continue to hold steady too.
October 10, 2017
After two months of losses, building permits once again picked up the pace in August.
October 06, 2017
After showing some modest momentum in August, Alberta’s job market backpedalled in September.
October 05, 2017
While tourism in the province is booming, many Albertans may be starting to use the sharing economy to take advantage of tourism’s success.
October 04, 2017
So far, it’s been a busy year for our province’s tourism operators. As of June, air travel to Alberta had increased 3.3 per cent.
October 03, 2017
The number of farms in Alberta has been shrinking for some time. In 1996, there were 59,007 farms in the province compared to 40,638 last year.
October 02, 2017
With Thanksgiving only a week away, we can be thankful that Alberta’s agriculture and food manufacturing sectors have performed well during the recent economic downturn.
September 29, 2017
Alberta’s love affair with eating out appears to be unstoppable because once again, that love has resulted in another record.
September 28, 2017
After a modest increase in June, wages fell flat again in July. Average weekly earnings in Alberta dropped about one percentage point to $1,125 in July.
September 27, 2017
Annual interprovincial migration data released today by Statistics Canada show that 15,131 more people left Alberta for other parts of Canada than came here from another province or territory between July 2016 and July 2017.
September 26, 2017
The trend in price increases of restaurant meals has been much smoother than grocery prices because constantly adjusting prices on menus would be both costly and inconvenient.
September 25, 2017
Over the last 10 years, food prices have increased at a much faster rate than most other things we buy.
September 22, 2017
Summer is the time Albertans usually spend enjoying the great outdoors. But maybe the heat and smoky air this July had the opposite effect, driving shoppers into the malls, auto dealerships and big box stores.
September 21, 2017
After eight consecutive monthly losses, the number of employment insurance beneficiaries crept a little higher in July.
September 20, 2017
Certain sectors are still playing catch-up to the downturn that gripped the province over the last few years. Construction activity, is only now starting to show clearer signs of slowing in the coming months.
September 19, 2017
Yesterday’s sod-turning for a new $360-million frozen potato processing facility in Lethbridge is a shot in the arm for Alberta’s manufacturing sector.
September 18, 2017
Canadian oil output is expected to rise by close to 300,000 barrels per day this year and by another 200,000 barrels per day next year.
September 15, 2017
Amazon is a company that requires specific types of labour, that’s where both Edmonton and Calgary can offer something that other cities may not be able to.
September 14, 2017
With a new academic year underway, it’s a good time to take a look at post-secondary enrolment trends in Alberta.
September 13, 2017
Alberta leads the way among all provinces when it comes to household incomes according to new data just released.
September 12, 2017
Today, The Owl looks at how younger workers fared during the downturn.
September 11, 2017
There’s no question the recession of 2015-16 was difficult for thousands of workers. At the worst of it, Albertans suffered double-digit unemployment.
September 08, 2017
After a nasty drop in July, Alberta’s job market bounced back into positive territory last month by adding a few thousand jobs.
September 07, 2017
Future construction activity is likely to slow. That’s because, for the second month in a row, building permits have fallen.
September 06, 2017
Alberta’s exports have begun to slide. Between July and June, total exports slipped 6.5 per cent.
September 05, 2017
The latest data from the Consumer Price Index show that renters in Alberta’s two major cities might be getting a break, especially Calgary.
September 01, 2017
We love to eat out in Alberta. And that love reached record levels in June.
August 31, 2017
Alberta has said goodbye to the recession, but it will likely be a few more years before a stronger and more resilient economy fully emerges.
August 30, 2017
The average weekly earnings for employees in Alberta’s oil and gas sector fell to $2,171.75 in June of this year.
August 29, 2017
The generosity of Albertans was not curtailed by the first year of the recession.
August 28, 2017
In recent years, the recession has taken a toll on workers’ paycheques in the province.
August 25, 2017
Manufacturing is a key component of Alberta’s economy. In 2016, manufacturers generated $16.5 billion of Alberta’s real GDP, or 5.7 per cent of the province’s total economic output. This is down compared to before the recession.
August 24, 2017
In another sign that the economy is gradually shaking off the effects of the recession, new data on the job market suggest fewer Albertans are collecting employment insurance benefits.
August 23, 2017
It’s been pretty quiet in oil markets lately. Even so, The Owl likes to check in every once in a while to offer an update.
August 22, 2017
Alberta shoppers appear to have finally thrown off the recessionary blues, at least according to the latest data released from Statistics Canada.
August 18, 2017
The price of goods and services in the province continues to show little inflationary pressure.
August 17, 2017
After topping $6 billion in May, the total value of manufacturing shipments in Alberta slipped back slightly in June to $5.95.
August 16, 2017
An improving economy, better job prospects and cheaper credit has likely enticed more Albertans to replace their vehicles.
August 15, 2017
Yesterday, The Owl explored joblessness in Calgary and Edmonton. The two cities each have 8.5 per cent unemployment, above the provincial average. Fortunately, the job market in some of Alberta’s smaller cities is showing more encouraging results.
August 14, 2017
The rivalry between Edmonton and Calgary is a long and storied one, usually played out on the football field or hockey rink. But the two cities also compete economically, with usually one of the two boasting the best labour market.