Labour productivity in Saskatchewan rose 4.2 per cent in 2017 from the year before. That was second highest of the province, behind only Newfoundland and Labrador where it rose 9.2 per cent. The national average was 2.2 per cent. Statistics Canada points out that, against the backdrop of higher oil prices, business productivity was up in all three of the oil-producing provinces; the other was Alberta’s which saw an increase of 3.2 per cent. Saskatchewan’s productivity had risen only 1.1 per cent the year before. Mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction, retail trade, manufacturing, and finance and insurance led the growth here last year. Real business GDP was up 3.1 per cent following declines in the previous two years.
Hours worked fell in Saskatchewan by 1.1 per cent in 2017 for the fourth consecutive year. Newfoundland and Labrador also experienced a decline. Hours worked there were off 5.8 per cent. The national average was an increase of 1.5 per cent.