Alberta economy sets employment record

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/calgarybusiness/story.html?id=af0ae666-b41f-4009-8986-ff633541a55b

• “Even with Alberta's frantic pace of economic expansion moderating, figures released Friday indicate the province has never before employed more people and the rate of Albertans working or looking has risen to a Canadian record high.  And that's pushed Albertans' wages higher, faster than any other province.”
• "We're nothing close to the marked slowdown we're seeing in Ontario, and of course obviously nothing close to the recession they're in, in the United States," said Hirsch.
• “In February, Alberta's jobless rate was 3.5 per cent and in March 2007, 3.6 per cent, giving Alberta the country's highest job creation rate over the past 12 months, at 3.4 per cent.”
• Just one more article showing how amazing the Albertan economy is doing, and how the slowdown in Central and Eastern Canada, along with the mess in the USA is not affecting us.
• With record unemployment rates, plus record job creation, there’s clearly a HUGE shortage of people in Alberta.  That will keep the in-migration very high, and quality housing is

 
Canada is in the middle of a quiet oil boom

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23958032/from/ET/

• It’s pretty rare that CNBC News does a special on the oil sands, and MSNBC follows-up with a print article, so this is a big one.  You should watch the ‘Canada’s boom’ video.
• A great article showing the perspective from the rest of the world.  The oil sands and the Alberta economy is old news to us, but we take it for granted.

 

Province's economic tank has 'plenty of gas'

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/calgarybusiness/story.html?id=faf8fd0a-45ac-4579-a8b9-6b61849dc625

• “Alberta's construction sector is continuing to power forward in 2008, even as performance nationally continues to cool, according to figures released Monday by Statistics Canada. At the same time, the Conference Board of Canada said resilient consumers will keep the overall Canadian economy expanding this year, despite weakness among exporters suffering from a strong Canadian currency and a weakening market for their goods in the United States.”
• "As a leading indicator of growth, the value of building permits issued suggests Alberta's construction sector is in for a pretty good summer," said ATB Financial senior economist Todd Hirsch. "Despite the slowing U.S. and Ontario economies, there still appears to be plenty of gas in Alberta's economic tank."
• Once again, Alberta is on fire.  Even with decreased trade to the USA, Asia is providing further increased demand, so Alberta’s economy is solid.