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December 07, 2020GDP BY CENSUS METROPOLITAN AREA, 2017 Today, Statistics Canada released Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data for Canada's Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) and the areas outside of CMAs for 2017. All data are benchmarked to provincial nominal GDP at basic prices.
These results continue to show that just over half of Canada's GDP is generated in the six CMAs: Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa. Like population, economic activities primarily focused in cities. In 2017, CMAs accounted for 71.3% of Canada's population and generated about 73.6% of Canadian GDP. In Nova Scotia, Halifax accounted for 44.4% of provincial population and 55.8% of provincial GDP.
Overall, in 2017 GDP per capita in reported CMAs was $56,287. Halifax's GDP per capita was $52,010. Across Canada, the largest GDP per capita among CMAs was found in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, Toronto, and Ottawa. However, these results may be sensitive to fluctuations in commodity prices. The lowest GDP per capita among reported CMAs was observed in Oshawa ($33,218).
Outside CMAs, GDP per capita was $50,050. The highest non-CMA GDP per capita was observed in Alberta at $95,260 (higher than CMA GDP per capita) while the lowest was reported for Nova Scotia ($32,916). Per capita GDP outside Canada's reported CMAs averaged 88.9% of CMA GDP per capita.
From 2010-2017, GDP growth has averaged 3.9% inside CMAs and 2.6% outside CMAs. Halifax's GDP grew by 2.7% on average over this period, compared to 1.8% in Nova Scotia outside of Halifax. The fastest growing economies over this period were observed in Kelowna, Lethbridge, Saskatoon, Vancouver and Toronto. GDP growth outside CMAs was faster in Manitoba, Ontario and British Columbia.
Nova Scotia's GDP in 2017 was $39.3 billion, of which $21.9 billion was generated in Halifax and $17.4 billion was generated outside of Halifax. GDP has been rising in both Halifax and the rest of the province, but growth outside the city has been faster for all years except 2012 and 2017.
On a per capita basis, GDP in Halifax remains significantly higher than in the rest of Nova Scotia. However, except for 2012 and 2017, per capita GDP growth outside Halifax has been faster than inside Halifax.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 36-10-0468-01 Gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices, by census metropolitan area (CMA) (x 1,000,000); Table 17-10-0135-01 Population estimates, July 1, by census metropolitan area and census agglomeration, 2016 boundaries; Table 17-10-0005-01 Population estimates on July 1st, by age and sex
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