Canada has ten provinces and three territories – providing many options for newcomers to work, thrive, and find their own community. Just like each newcomer, each province and territory has its own unique identity and culture, and seeks out newcomers who will fulfill their individual needs.
In this article, we will be focusing on Alberta, the fourth-largest Canadian province. Discover what distinguishes this mountainous province from the rest, and use this information to determine if Alberta will complement your individual set of skills and desires in your journey as a newcomer.
Location, climate, and demographics: Alberta basics
Alberta is the second westernmost province in Canada, sharing the Rocky Mountains with British Columbia to the West, Saskatchewan to the East, and the Northwest Territories to the north.
Alberta’s climate is typically varied, experiencing four distinct seasons. Albertans are used to cold winters, which hover around -5 to -15 degrees celsius (sometimes getting as cold as -30 to -40 C, in northern areas). However, Alberta also enjoys fairly warm summer months, with the temperature climbing up to 20 to 25 C.
Alberta has a population of about 4 million, with roughly 1.5 million people focussed in its capital city of Edmonton. The city of Calgary also rings in at about 1.5 million people, with the rest of Alberta’s population dispersed in mid-size cities and smaller rural towns throughout the province.
English is the primary language of the majority of city and rural dwellers in Alberta. Urban centres like Edmonton and Calgary tend to have a higher volume of languages spoken due to their larger populations and newcomer communities.
What makes Alberta special for newcomers?
Alberta’s history is a rich intersection of various cultures and natural resources and is dominated by its natural surroundings (many of which are on display in Alberta’s incredible national parks). As the ancestral home of many First Nations and Métis groups, indigenous presence is a mainstay of the land’s history and culture. From the Rocky Mountains of Banff and Jasper to fossil discoveries in badlands of Drumheller, stunning natural wonders and bountiful resources attract newcomers with a sense of adventure from all over the world.
Alberta also has plenty of farmland and ranchland, and its residents have developed a strong western rodeo and ranching culture. The city of Calgary hosts the Calgary Stampede, the world’s largest outdoor rodeo and western festival that attracts over a million visitors each summer – a fun and diverse introduction to western traditions for newcomers in the Calgary area!
Alberta is also home to multiple world-class universities with large international student populations. The University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB) and the University of Calgary (Calgary, AB) are some of the largest and most well-known in the province (Note: A list of post-secondary institutions designated to accept international students is available on the provincial government website).
Economy In Alberta
Alberta’s economy was one of the strongest in the world, supported by the burgeoning petroleum industry and to a lesser extent, agriculture and technology. In 2013, Alberta’s per capita GDP exceeded that of the United States, Norway, or Switzerland, and was the highest of any province in Canada at CA$84,390. This was 56% higher than the national average of CA$53,870 and more than twice that of some of the Atlantic provinces. In 2006, the deviation from the national average was the largest for any province in Canadian history. According to the 2006 census, the median annual family income after taxes was $70,986 in Alberta (compared to $60,270 in Canada as a whole). In 2014, Alberta had the second-largest economy in Canada after Ontario, with a GDP exceeding CA$376 billion. The GDP of the province calculated at basic prices rose by 4.6% in 2017 to $327.4 billion, which was the largest increase recorded in Canada, and it ended two consecutive years of decreases.
Alberta’s debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to peak at 12.1% in fiscal year 2021–2022, falling to 11.3% the following year.
The Calgary-Edmonton Corridor is the most urbanized region in the province and one of the densest in Canada. The region covers a distance of roughly 400 kilometres north to south. In 2001, the population of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor was 2.15 million (72% of Alberta’s population). It is also one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. A 2003 study by TD Bank Financial Group found the corridor to be the only Canadian urban centre to amass a U.S. level of wealth while maintaining a Canadian style quality of life, offering universal health care benefits. The study found that GDP per capita in the corridor was 10% above average U.S. metropolitan areas and 40% above other Canadian cities at that time.
The Fraser Institute states that Alberta also has very high levels of economic freedom and rates Alberta as the freest economy in Canada,and second-freest economy amongst U.S. states and Canadian provinces.
In 2014, Merchandise exports totalled US$121.4 billion. Energy revenues totalled $111.7 billion and Energy resource exports totalled $90.8 billion. Farm Cash receipts from agricultural products totalled $12.9 billion. Shipments of forest products totalled $5.4 billion while exports were $2.7 billion. Manufacturing sales totalled $79.4 billion, and Alberta’s ICT industries generated over $13 billion in revenue. In total, Alberta’s 2014 GDP amassed $364.5 billion in 2007 dollars, or $414.3 billion in 2015 dollars. In 2015, Alberta’s GDP grew despite low oil prices; however, it was unstable with growth rates as high 4.4% and as low as 0.2%. Should the GDP remain at an average of 2.2% for the last two-quarters of 2015, Alberta’s GDP should exceed $430 billion by the end of 2015.Howeve r, RBC Economics research predicts Alberta’s real GDP growth to only average 0.6% for the last two-quarters of 2015. This estimate predicts a real GDP growth of only 1.4% for 2015. A positive is the predicted 10.8% growth in Nominal GDP, and possibly above 11% in 2016.
Agriculture and forestry.
Agriculture has a significant position in the province’s economy. The province has over three million head of cattle, and Alberta beef has a healthy worldwide market. Nearly one half of all Canadian beef is produced in Alberta. Alberta is one of the top producers of plains buffalo (bison) for the consumer market. Sheep for wool and mutton are also raised.
Wheat and canola are primary farm crops, with Alberta leading the provinces in spring wheat production; other grains are also prominent. Much of the farming is dryland farming, often with fallow seasons interspersed with cultivation. Continuous cropping (in which there is no fallow season) is gradually becoming a more common mode of production because of increased profits and a reduction of soil erosion. Across the province, the once common grain elevator is slowly being lost as rail lines are decreasing; farmers typically truck the grain to central points.
Alberta is the leading beekeeping province of Canada, with some beekeepers wintering hives indoors in specially designed barns in southern Alberta, then migrating north during the summer into the Peace River valley where the season is short but the working days are long for honeybees to produce honey from clover and fireweed. Hybrid canola also requires bee pollination, and some beekeepers service this need.
Forestry plays a vital role in Alberta’s economy, providing over 15,000 jobs and contributing billions of dollars annually. Uses for harvested timber include pulpwood, hardwood, engineered wood and bioproducts such as chemicals and biofuels. Recently, the United States has been Canada and Alberta’s largest importer of hardwood and pulpwood,] although continued trades issues with the U.S. have likely been a contributing factor towards Alberta’s increased focus on Asian markets.
Industry
Alberta is the largest producer of conventional crude oil, synthetic crude, natural gas and gas products in Canada. Alberta is the world’s second-largest exporter of natural gas and the fourth-largest producer.Two of the largest producers of petrochemicals in North America are located in central and north-central Alberta. In both Red Deer and Edmonton, polyethylene and vinyl manufacturers produce products that are shipped all over the world. Edmonton’s oil refineries provide the raw materials for a large petrochemical industry to the east of Edmonton.
The Athabasca oil sands surrounding Fort McMurray have estimated unconventional oil reserves approximately equal to the conventional oil reserves of the rest of the world, estimated to be 1.6 trillion barrels (254 km3). Many companies employ both conventional strip mining and non-conventional in situ methods to extract the bitumen from the oil sands. As of late 2006 there were over $100 billion in oil sands projects under construction or in the planning stages in northeastern Alberta.
Another factor determining the viability of oil extraction from the oil sands is the price of oil. The oil price increases since 2003 have made it profitable to extract this oil, which in the past would give little profit or even a loss. By mid-2014, however, rising costs and stabilizing oil prices were threatening the economic viability of some projects. An example of this was the shelving of the Joslyn north project in the Athabasca region in May 2014.
With concerted effort and support from the provincial government, several high-tech industries have found their birth in Alberta, notably patents related to interactive liquid-crystal display systems. With a growing economy, Alberta has several financial institutions dealing with civil and private funds.
Skiing in Alberta
Downhill (alpine) skiing in Alberta is some of the best in the world and many people from far and wide plan their vacations here around the activity. Apart from the amazing landscapes Alberta offers, skiers will find some of the best powder along with luxurious on-hill ski-in/out resorts. The most difficult decision visitors have to make is choosing which resort they’ll visit. This guide will answer all your questions about skiing in Alberta and give top recommendations for ski hills and resorts throughout the province.
Having 7 months of winter certainly helps Alberta’s ski situation. Skiing in Alberta typically starts in November and ends in May, but it all depends on the snowfall. There have been seasons when the snow comes early and ends late. With the high elevation in the Rocky Mountains, the deep snow base can stick around.
