Region at a glance

The South West region covers an area of 15,446 square kilometers, larger in size than the state of Connecticut.  The region accounts for 2.4% of Alberta’s land mass and for 1.1% of Alberta’s population.  

According to Statistics Canada’s latest estimates, the region’s population totaled 41,500 in 2010, an increase of 2.2% from 2006.  According to the 2006 federal Census, the number of employees was 19,550 and the region’s unemployment rate was 4.1%.

The region’s largest industry on an employment basis is agriculture, accounting for nearly 19% of total employment in Census year 2006, followed by health care and social assistance at 11%, and retail trade at 9%.  The fastest growing industries between Census years 2001 and 2006 were the utilities (mainly wind energy) and real estate sectors, which more than doubled their employment levels, followed by accommodation and food services which increased its employment by one-quarter.  Employment in the finance and insurance sector fell by 24% in the South West region between the two Census years. 

According to personal income taxfiler data, the average individual income in the region was $23,000 per taxfiler in 2007, a 36% increase from 2003.  Average income for couples was $76,400 in 2007, a 37% rise from 2003.

The South West region is one of Alberta’s larger agricultural regions.  It accounts for 6.1% of the province’s farm acreage and for 5.3% of total farm receipts.  It is one of the province’s largest producers of barley, and is also a major cattle producer.   Its largest crops include barley, wheat and alfalfa.  The region is also one of the nation’s leading producers of wind energy.

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 somewhat in this region: although the number of Employment Insurance beneficiaries receiving regular benefits in the South West region rose 4% between 2009 and 2010, it declined by 23% between June 2010 and June 2011.

Date Updated:
RDP-2463