Region at a glance

The Central Alberta region covers an area of 45,961 square kilometers, slightly larger in size than the Netherlands.  The region accounts for 7.2% of Alberta’s land mass and for 8.3% of Alberta’s population.  

According to Statistics Canada’s latest estimates, the region’s population totaled 308,400 in 2010, an increase of 7.9% from 2006.  According to the Labour Force Survey, the region’s unemployment rate was 6.3% in 2010, down from 6.7% in 2009, and over 175,000 people were employed.

The region’s largest industries on an employment basis are retail trade, oil and gas, agriculture, healthcare and social assistance and construction, each employing more than 15,000 workers.  The fastest growing industry between Census years 2001 and 2006 was the oil and gas sector, which increased its employment by more than 75%.  Employment in the agricultural sector, which has been on a long and steady decline in the province, fell by 13% between the two Census years.  The region also has a large manufacturing base, which is concentrated in the chemicals sector, and the region accounts for about 10% of Alberta’s manufacturing shipments.

Central Alberta is one of Alberta’s top two agricultural regions, accounting for more than 15% of the province’s farm cash receipts, cropland and livestock in Census year 2006, and is the top-ranked region for employment in this sector, accounting for 19% of Alberta employment in the agricultural sector.  It is also the province’s second largest natural gas producer, the number four region for drilling activity, and the number three region for employment in the oil and gas sector, accounting for 13% of Alberta’s oil and gas employment.

According to personal income taxfiler data the average individual income was $34,500 in 2007, a large 42% increase from 2003.  Average income for couples was $104,000 in 2007, a 46% rise from 2003.

Although very few current indicators are available on a regional basis, it is clear that the impacts of the global economic crisis have also subsided in this region; for instance the number of Employment Insurance beneficiaries receiving regular benefits in Central Alberta fell by 15% between 2009 and 2010.  Moreover, the number declined sharply by 37% between June 2010 and June 2011.

Date Updated:
RDP-2455