Insights

The Owl: Focused on Alberta’s Economy

Retail sales, the unemployment rate, population growth, inflation, international trade—these are just a few of the economic trends the team makes sense of in The Owl.

Economics News

Subscribe to get a brief daily snapshot of what’s happening in Alberta’s economy

Hot streak

Alberta housing starts strong again in February

Weekly Wrap, Friday, March 15, 2024

Up north and around the globe

Debt servicing costs on the rise in Canada

The debt service ratio in Canada is near a record high

Not cooperating

U.S. inflation still too high

(Mostly) on track

Employment growth by industry in Alberta

New year uptick

Merchandise exports in Alberta were up by 4.2% in January

Weekly Wrap, Friday, March 8, 2024

Alberta employment picks up steam

From glass ceiling to broken rung

Advancing gender equality in the workplace

Not yet

The Bank of Canada kept its policy rate unchanged at 5%

Another month another record

Alberta’s oil output in January

Looking up

Another sign of rising business confidence

Weekly Wrap, Friday, March 1, 2024

Below potential  - business investment lagging in Canada

The seatbelt sign is off

No landing scenario playing out in the U.S.

Finding workers in Alberta

Job vacancy rate unchanged in December

A brighter future

Business optimism rises in Alberta

Different readings

New home prices down in some cities, up in others

Weekly Wrap, Friday, February 23, 2024

Youthful inflows and the last inflation mile

Retail sales stronger in 2023

Annual sales in Alberta came in at $102 billion last year and were 4.4% higher than in 2022

It's raining orders

Restaurant sales in Alberta were resilient through 2023

January thaw

Canada’s inflation rate moves below 3%

Weekly Wrap, Friday, February 16, 2024

The bumpy road home

Gaining ground

A better year for new vehicles sales in Alberta

The Cupid effect

Spending on dining and entertainment on Valentine’s Day

Thanks for the grub!

A quick overview of Alberta’s agricultural sector

Food stuff

The softening of major crop prices continued in Alberta in December

Weekly Wrap Friday, February 9, 2024

Productivity part 2 - industry mix matters

New year gain

Alberta employment off to a solid start in 2024

Alberta's exports in 2023

Foreign sales come off record highs on lower prices

It’s a gas

Natural gas production in Alberta in 2023

Construction intentions in Alberta up in final quarter of 2023


Only Alberta and New Brunswick experienced an increase in permit value in the fourth quarter

Another record-setting year for oil production in Alberta

Oil production in Alberta rose to 3.82 million barrels per day in 2023

The Weekly Wrap, February 2, 2024

Inflation wait and see and the productivity imperative

New study sheds light on working from home

About 40% of jobs in Canada can—in principle—be done from home

Canada’s economic output stronger than expected

It looks like Canada avoided a technical recession in the fourth quarter

Order up

Restaurant and bar sales in Alberta held steady in November

Alberta’s job vacancy rate steady in November

While the vacancy rate is lower than during the pandemic, it remains elevated

The Weekly Wrap, January 26, 2024

A Bank on hold and a western economic forum

Mind the gap

Household disposable income in Alberta has been higher than the national average since at least 1999

Key interest rate stays the same

The Bank of Canada announced this morning that it is keeping its policy interest rate at 5.0%

Household savings in Alberta and Canada

The amount of money saved increased dramatically during the first year of the pandemic

Cutting back

National retail sales and interest rates

The Weekly Wrap January 19, 2024

Out of the deep freeze

Standing tall

Housing starts in Alberta finished 2023 with the highest six-month average since 2014

For sale

Home prices continue to rise in Alberta

Still sticky

Inflation increased to end the year

Another gusher

Oil production in Alberta reached a new high in November

The Weekly Wrap, January 12, 2024

The year of the pivot

Softer but not soft

Crop and cattle prices in Alberta

On the ascent

Exports rose to an 11-month high in November 2023

The other shoe

Economic stories to watch in 2024, part 2 of 2

Anxious times

Economic stories to watch in 2024, part 1 of 2

Steady finish

Modest Alberta job gain caps off 2023

Evenly split

Small business confidence in Alberta in December 2023

Tempered

Oil prices averaged US$72/barrel in December

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