According to the latest Canadian Survey on Business Conditions, about three-quarters (74.6%) of Alberta businesses say they are either very optimistic (28.4.0%) or somewhat optimistic (46.2%) as they look out over the next 12 months.*

On the other end of the continuum, 13.9% are pessimistic (10.0% somewhat and 3.9% very) about the next 12 months and 11.4% are not sure.

The current results are a noticeable improvement over where things stood a year ago when 66.3% of businesses in Alberta said they were very or somewhat optimistic. The uptick was due to both fewer respondents saying they were pessimistic and fewer who were not sure where things were heading.

Businesses in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector were the most likely to be optimistic with 92.2% saying they were either very or somewhat optimistic about the coming year. Businesses in the information and cultural industries sector are the least likely to be optimistic at 62.3% (see the chart below).

It is essentially the same story nationally, with a little over three-quarters (76.7%) of businesses saying they are optimistic about the next 12 months compared to just two-thirds (66.3%) who said the same a year ago.

Businesses in New Brunswick are the most likely to be optimistic with 84.0% in this category. It’s not too far off the national average, but the percentage of businesses optimistic about the coming year is lowest in Ontario at 72.7%.

The survey results are in keeping with our forecast for overall economic conditions to gradually improve as interest rates continue to fall.

*The survey was conducted from July 2 to August 6, 2024. As a result, those 12 months could range from July 2, 2024, to August 6, 2025, depending on when the business responded.

Answer to the previous trivia question: The athletes at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will be competing in 22 different sports.

Today’s trivia question: When was the first Paralympic Games held?