Strong growth for Alberta in 2013

Expect to see jobs and more disposable income, that from experts who believe the Alberta economy will lead the country in growth over the next two years.

The Wildrose province is positioned to grow at the top-end of Canada’s growth ratings for 2013.

Economists are forecast a provincial real GDP growth rate of 3 per cent, down from 3.8 per cent the year before.

While we continue to lead the nation, it puts the province neck and neck with Saskatchewan at 2.9 per cent.

Those numbers won’t stay down for long though, crude oil is on an upswing and construction activity is rapidly expanding.

“Despite a fair amount of uncertainty not too long ago, when we look at various economic indicators it’s still pointing to very robust growth,” Senior Economist Robert Hogue tells 660News.

“At the core is that tremendous investment in the oilsands in particular, but oil and gas in general,” he explains. “This is still the catalyst for a lot of activity in the province.”

Hogue believes Albertans are already starting to see the benefits spill into other sectors.
Another part of the boom is population growth and that he adds is for the first time since 2006, above 3 per cent.

It’s believed an increase in the use of rail cars to transport Alberta’s unconventional crude to the US Gulf Coast has curtailed pipeline bottlenecks.

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