Every province in Canada saw economic growth last year, according to a report released by Statistics Canada on Friday.
The fastest rising economy was in Alberta, where gross domestic product expanded by 5.2% in 2011, the federal agency said.
That contrasted with slight rates of growth in Eastern Canada in places such as New Brunswick, where the economy grew 0.1%, and Nova Scotia, which saw a 0.3% expansion.
Saskatchewan's economy grew by 4.8%, which marked the second strongest expansion to Alberta's. British Columbia's economic output was up 2.9%, Newfoundland and Labrador's 2.8%, Ontario's 2%, Quebec's 1.7%, and Manitoba and Prince Edward Island both saw growth rates of 1.1%.
The most extreme rates of economic growth or shrinkage were seen in the territories, where the relatively small size of economies make them more subject to large swings. The economy in Nunavut expanded 7.7%, was 5.6% bigger in the Yukon, but contracted 5.5% in the Northwest Territories.
The national economy grew 2.6% in 2011 compared with a 3.4% expansion in 2010, according to this release from Statistics Canada on Friday. This measure is based on combined output by all industries.
Figures released in March showed national GDP expanded by 2.5% last year, compared to 3.2%. That was based on a different methodology by Statistics Canada that measures the economy based on personal, business and government spending, and the national trade balance.
