University of Alberta

Government Presence in the Western Economy

For the Western Centre for Economic Research's press release on this new section, please click here.

Western Provinces GDP

 

2008 ($000s)

Alberta

$291,662,000

British Columbia

$199,214,000

Manitoba

$50,886,000

Saskatchewan

$64,323,000

Source: Stats Canada

Population

 

2008

Alberta

3,585,100

British Columbia

4,381,600

Manitoba

1,208,000

Saskatchewan

1,016,000

Source: Stats Canada

Surpluses and Deficits

 

Budgetary Balance

% of GDP

% of GDP

Alberta

-$4,714,000

1.6%

13.0%

British Columbia

-$495,000

0.2%

1.3%

Manitoba

-$153,916

0.3%

1.5%

Saskatchewan

$415,414

0.6%

4.1%

Source: Provincial Budgets

Provincial Budgetary Expenditures

 

2009
(000s)

Per Capita
(000s)

% of GDP

Alberta

$36,375,000

$10.15

12.5%

British Columbia

$39,307,000

$8.97

19.7%

Manitoba

$10,286,916

$8.52

20.2%

Saskatchewan

$10,245,386

$10.08

15.9%

Source: Provincial budgets of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan

Provincial Budgetary Revenues

 

2009
(000s)

Per Capita
(000s)

% of GDP

Alberta

$31,661,000

$8.83

10.9%

British Columbia

$38,812,000

$8.86

19.5%

Manitoba

$10,133,916

$8.39

19.9%

Saskatchewan

$10,660,800

$10.49

16.6%

Source: Provincial budgets of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan

Selected Provincial Budgetary Revenue Sources

 

Tax Revenue*
(000s)

Resource Revenue
(000s)

Alberta

$14,752,000

$5,903,000

British Columbia

$18,364,000

$3,630,000

Manitoba

$5,326,876

**

Saskatchewan

$4,458,900

$3,368,900

Source: Provincial budgets of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan
* Includes personal income, corporate, sales (except in the case of Alberta), fuel, property, tobacco and other taxes.
** Manitoba does not include resources as a category in its summary of revenue.

Tax Revenue by Selected Source

 

Personal Income Tax
(000s)

Corporate Income Tax
(000s)

Provincial Sales Tax
(000s)

Alberta

$8,559,000

$2,447,000

n/a

British Columbia

$6,219,000

$2,037,000

$5,087,000*

Manitoba

$2,342,700

$346,600

$1,594,700

Saskatchewan

$1,802,600

$624,900

$1,155,600

Source: Provincial budgets of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan
* British Columbia's sales tax revenue is categorized under social service taxes.

Selected Provincial Tax Revenues per Capita

 

Personal Income Tax (per Capita)

Corporate Income Tax
(per Capita)

Provincial Sales Tax
(per Capita)

Alberta

$2,387.38

$682.55

n/a

British Columbia

$1,497.63

$348.96

$1,160.99

Manitoba

$1,939.32

$286.92

$1,320.12

Saskatchewan

$1,774.21

$615.06

$1,137.40

Source: Provincial budgets of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan

Civil Service Employees*

 

Civil Servants

 Per Capita
(People per Civil Servant)

GDP ($000s Per Civil Servant)

Alberta

26,661

134

$9,712.2

British Columbia

30,000 146 $6,417.6

Manitoba

14,065

86

$3,451.8

Saskatchewan

12,445

82

$4,148.5

Source: Stats Can, Provincial budgets of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan
*Represents the number of employees working directly for the provincial government.

Public Administration Employees*

 

Civil Servants

 Per Capita
(People per Employee)

GDP ($000s Per Civil Servant)

Alberta

83,200

43

$3,112.2

British Columbia

103,400

42

$1,862.0

Manitoba

35,300

34

$1,375.3

Saskatchewan

29,900

34

$1,726.7

Source: Stats Canada
*Public Administration includes employees at all levels of government (federal, provincial, municipal), as well as Aboriginal Public Administration, law courts, correctional, police and firefighting services.