Alberta's Economic Fate Tied to Rest of Canada

A new study from University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe has estimated that Alberta's trade with the rest of Canada directly or indirectly supports around 330,000 jobs in the province, which is about 13% of the provincial workforce. These jobs span various sectors including manufacturing, professional services, wholesale trade, transportation, hospitality, and agriculture.

The study found that roughly 55 cents from every dollar of Alberta's income is generated from exports, with the United States being the largest customer for the province. In fact, no one trades more with Ontario than Alberta does, supporting around 230,000 jobs and $34 billion in income in the province.

Deborah Yedlin, president and chief executive of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, stated that separation would hurt both Alberta and the rest of Canada, emphasizing that 'We're all interconnected from an interprovincial trade perspective.' Tombe's analysis also estimates that if separation made trading with the rest of Canada more expensive, Alberta's economy could shrink by billions of dollars a year.

Manuel Juárez Davila, director of the Simpson Centre for Food and Agricultural Policy at the University of Calgary, expects the agriculture industry to take a hit under separation. Adam Legge, president of the Business Council of Alberta, views separation as 'total fiction,' stating that Alberta would be reliant on the decisions of others.