SPENDING RESULTS

Canadians are spending and how we allocate our hard earned pay. The latest survey findings suggest Albertans still spend the most on goods and services. The statistical agency reports that household spending on goods and services in Alberta totalled $71,211 in 2015. That’s about 21 per cent higher than the Canadian average ($59,057) and about 14 per cent higher than second place Saskatchewan ($62,287). The survey breaks down percentage of spending into four major categories: shelter, transportation, food, and clothing and accessories. Albertans shelled out 29 per cent of their spending on shelter, which lined up with the national average. Not surprisingly, the red hot real estate provinces, Ontario (31.5 per cent) and British Columbia (30.4 per cent), were first and second respectively. Albertans spent a slightly greater percentage on transportation when compared to the average Canadian (21.6 per cent versus 20.1). Additionally, Alberta was one of the top provinces for spending on clothing and accessories. That consumed 6.1 per cent of our entire annual household spending on goods and services, compared to 5.9 nationally. Perhaps it’s because we love our pubs and restaurants, but Albertans spent 12.3 per cent of their spending on food, the lowest in the country. Although Albertans continue to spend the most on goods and services in Canada, that might change in 2016. When Statistics Canada releases its Survey of Household Spending for 2016, we’ll likely see a slight drop in total household spending.