Turns out Canada leads GDP growth among the G7 nations in 2017, and is forecast to retain a strong second place in 2018. The International Monetary Fund has reportedly revised the past year's estimates to a three per cent increase ó up half of a percentage from 2.5.Meanwhile, Alberta's recovering economy has regained some two-thirds of jobs lost during the oil crash, and leads in GDP growth throughout the country, with revised figures showing an increase to four per cent from less than three per cent.The cost of oil, just so tantalizingly close to that 60 bucks per barrel benchmark, has rebounded a long way from the dismal rock bottom days of roughly $35. Additionally, ongoing efforts to diversify and develop alternative renewable sources of energy such as wind power are generating growth in different directions.If the economic situation in the province was so apocalyptic as many conservative politicians would have us believe, Calgary would not be Canada's fastest growing city. The metropolis's population is anticipated to reach approximately 2.4 million people in the coming decades.Considering Mountain View County's relatively close proximity to Alberta's most populated urban centre, that growth can mean only good news in terms of beneficial economic ripple effects as more and more outdoor enthusiasts discover our gateway to the West Country.Of course there undoubtedly remain many challenges and hurdles on the horizon ahead as we work to branch out and reduce our disproportionate dependency on one single, volatile commodity that has a destructive boom-bust cycle that time and again has left the whole province reeling from destructive financial seizures.
While oil and gas is certainly a part of Alberta's and Canada's energy equation, by no means is the industry the only part of the solution to a cleaner, more sustainable future.
At this point in time, indicators that there is nowhere to go but up are unmistakable. So although the road to a full recovery and booming prosperity remains lengthy, Alberta might very well be the place to be right now.
However, what remains to really be seen is whether the rebounding provincial and national economies will reverberate throughout each corner of the province, and indeed country.
Will the average Albertan, and Canadian, see his or her salary increase much beyond adjustments for inflation ó if at all ó or will the income gap continue to swell as more and more people struggle to scrape by while the majority of the province's wealth concentrates into fewer hands.
Perhaps the true sign of a healthy economy is when everyone benefits, not just those few at the top.
So as the province continues to pull itself back up, let us measure our economy's growth and success not just in the billions of dollars accumulated by corporations and the 0.01 per cent, but by how we are able to lift up anyone whose potential remains untapped for simple lack of opportunity.
