Poll shows Albertans not optimistic about economy’s status

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – A report from the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy shows people in this city aren’t too happy with the economy.

Around two-thirds of people in the poll said the economies of Calgary and Alberta are worse now than compared to 2017, and in a break from the trend, nearly half believe the national economy is getting worse.

READ FULL REPORT

Co-author Jack Lucas said most numbers show the economy is, in reality, in recovery, but a combination of factors, such as high unemployment, skew the view.

“There have also just been these very high-profile issues about the oil price and about pipelines, that were in the news in a big way through 2018. My guess is that those things are also shaping where these opinions are coming from,” Lucas said.

While most financial numbers are showing a national recovery Lucas said the public perception is different.

“There are some things that weren’t as good in 2018 as they had been the year before: the unemployment rate flattened off and there was some problems with employment for young people. It may be that those signals just suggested to people that the economy, in general, wasn’t doing that well.”

Lucas adds a lack of action on major projects like pipelines can make people think the economy is doing worse than it is.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today