Note:Changesarecalculatedrelativetothe
correspondingperiodinthepreviousyear.Updated:April16,2013Page1of5

ManitobaEconomicHighlights

EconomicOverview

RealGrossDomesticProduct
 Manitoba’s real GDP growth rate is
estimated at 2.2% in 2012, based on
Manitoba Finance’s survey of economic
forecasts.
 ThesurveyforecaststhattheManitobaGDP
willgrow1.9%in2013and2.3%in2014. 
 Manitoba’s real GDP increased by 2.2% in
2011 following a 2.3% increase in 2010,
according to the Manitoba Bureau of
Statistics
 Manitoba has the second best average
annual GDP growth over the last five years
(2007‐2012f) at 2.1% and ahead of Canada
1.1%.

ConsumerPriceIndex
 In 2013 (year‐to‐date (y‐t‐d)), the Manitoba
CPI increased 1.7%, tenth among provinces
andaboveCanadaat0.9%.
 Tobacco &  alcohol, shelter and household
operationsboostedoverallconsumerprices,
while health & personal care costs, clothing

and recreation,educationand reading costs
easedpressureonprices.

 Manitoba CPI increased 1.6% in 2012, the
fifth lowest among provinces and similar to
the1.5%increaseforCanada.


LabourMarket
Employment
 In the first three months of 2013,
employment increased 1.8% or 11,200 jobs
while the labour force expanded 1.3% or
8,500newentrants.
 In the first three months of 2013, full‐time
employment increased by 1.6% (8,000) and
 Inthefirstthreemonthsof2013,
employmentwasup11,200jobswith
8,000full‐timeand3,200part‐timejobs
generated.


 In2012allareahousingstartsincreased
19.1%,almosttwiceCanada’s10.8%
increaseandthirdbestnationally.Starts
reached7,242units,thehighestsince
1987.

 ThevalueofManitobabuildingpermits
increased34.9%in2012,threetimes

Canada’s9.3%increaseandthebest
nationally,reaching$2.5billion.

 AnnualsalesinManitobaaerospaceparts
nowexceed$1billionandtheaerospace
partsindustryaccountsfor8%oftotal
manufacturingsalesintheprovince.


AsofJuly1,2012,Manitoba'smedianage
was37.6years,thethirdlowestamong
provinces,andbelowthenationallevelof
40.0
y
ears.
RealGDP(%Change)
Source:ManitobaBureauofStatisticsand;
ManitobaFinance,surveyofeconomicforecasters.
‐4
‐3
‐2
‐1
0
1
2
3
4
2009 2010 2011 2012f 2013f
Manitoba
Canada


Note:Changesarecalculatedrelativetothe
correspondingperiodinthepreviousyear.Updated:April16,2013Page2of5

ManitobaEconomicHighlights
part‐time employment increased 2.6%
(3,200).
 In 2012, Manitoba’s employment increased
0.9%andManitoba’slabourforceexpanded
0.8%. In 2012, Manitoba’s employment
growth ranked sixth highest among
provinces.

UnemploymentRate
 In the first three months of 2013,
Manitoba’s unemployment rate was 5.0%,
thirdlowestamongprovincesandbelowthe
7.2%nationalaverage.
 In2012,Manitoba’sunemploymentratewas
5.3%,thirdlowestbehindSaskatchewanand
Alberta. The youth unemployment rate was
11.0%,thethirdlowestinCanada.
 Over the past 13 years, Manitoba’s
unemployment rate has averaged 2.2
percentagepointsbelowCanada.
AverageWeeklyEarnings
 InJanuary 2013,averageweeklyearningsin
Manitoba were up 1.6%, eight among
provincesandabovethenationalincreaseof
2.8%.

 In 2012, average weekly earnings in
Manitoba were up 2.7%, tied for seventh
among provinces and above the national
increaseof2.5%.
Population
 As of January 1, 2013, Manitoba’s
population stood at 1,274,279 a one‐year
increase of 14,904 persons, a one year
increase of 1.2%. This is the fourth
consecutive 12 month period of population
growthaheadofthenationalrate.
 As of July 1, 2012, Manitoba's median age
was 37.6 years, the third lowest among
provinces, and below the  national level of 
40.0years.
NetMigration
 For the year ending January 1, 2012, 9,116
morepeoplemovedtoManitobathanleft.
 Duringthesameperiod,netinternationalin‐
migration totalled 11,223 and net inter‐
provincial out‐migration totalled 3,926.
Naturalincreasetotalled5,788.

EconomicActivity
ManufacturingSales
 In 2013 (y‐t‐d), Manitoba manufacturing
sales decreased 0.4%, the same as the
national decrease and ranked sixth among
provinces. Sales of wood, chemicals,
electrical products, printing, plastics and

rubber, machinery, food, and aerospace
parts are leading growth while fabricated
metals, transportation equipment and non‐
metallicmineralslaggrowth.

 In 2012, Manitoba manufacturing sales
increased1.4%comparedtoa3.5%national 
increase and ranked sixth among provinces
withsevenof11sub‐sectorsadvancing.

Employment(%Change)
 2012 2013(ytd)
Manitoba
TotalEmployment 0.9 1.8
Full‐Time 1.1 1.6
Part‐Time
Canada
0.1 2.6
TotalEmployment 1.2 1.6


Note:Changesarecalculatedrelativetothe
correspondingperiodinthepreviousyear.Updated:April16,2013Page3of5

ManitobaEconomicHighlights
 Annual sales in Manitoba aerospace parts
now exceed $1 billion and the industry
accountsfor8%oftotalmanufacturingsales
intheprovince.
FarmCashReceipts

 Inthefirstthreequartersof2012,Manitoba
farm cash receipts are up 1.0%. Crop
receipts decreased 2.5% due to declines in
oilseeds14.8%andwheatreceipts58.6%.
 Livestock receipts were up 4.0% with
strength across all components, hogs up
2.9%andcattleup5.4%.
 Direct payments, which
 include insurance
and various types of income supports,
increased8.5%.

 Crop production rebounded in 2012, from
twoyearsoffloodingandbadweather,with
increases in all crops: wheat 76%, canola
20%, corn forgrain97%,soybeans84%and
barley137%.
 In2011,Manitobacashreceiptsincreasedto

$4.9 billion. Manitoba’s 2.2% increase was
thesecondlowestamongprovinces.
RetailSales
 In 2013 (y‐t‐d), Manitoba retail sales
increased by 1.6% compared to a 2.9%
national decrease and ranked seventh
amongprovinces.
 Inthefirsttwomonthsof2013,newmotor
vehicleunitsaleswereup5.8%,best among
provinces and above the national decline of
3.1%.In2012newmotorvehiclesaleswere

up 7.6%, sixth among provinces and better
thanthenationalincreaseof5.9%.
 In 2012, Manitoba retail sales increased
1.4%, below the Canadian increase of 2.4%
andseventhbestamongprovinces.
 2012 retail sales rose on the strength of
furniture5.5%,departmentstore
sales4.5%,
clothing 4.2% and sporting goods sales up
3.9% – sales of electronics and appliances
were down 6.4%, personal services down
2.7%,andgasolinesalesdeclined1.8%.
Investment
 Statistics Canada’s Private and Public
Investment Survey released February 2013
projected Manitoba’s capital investment to
increase 8.5%, above the Canadian increase
of1.7%.
 Manitoba’s private investment is projected
to increase 6.3% and public investment to
increase12.9%.

FarmCashReceipts(%Change)
 2011 2012(ytd)

Canola (1.0) (17.0)
Wheat 6.5 (58.6)
Hogs 13.3 2.9
Cattle (5.2) 5.4
TotalFarmCash 2.2 1.0


LeadingIndustrieswithStrongest
GrowthManufacturingSales(%Change)
 2011 2012

Wood ‐2.0 19.8
Aerospaceparts 9.1 16.2
Machinery 24.2 10.9
TotalSales 6.21.4


Note:Changesarecalculatedrelativetothe
correspondingperiodinthepreviousyear.Updated:April16,2013Page4of5

ManitobaEconomicHighlights
 A number of  major investment projects are
currently underway, including, IKEA at the
Seasons of Tuxedo shopping complex, and
thestadiumatUniversityofManitoba.
 Manitoba’s capital investment for 2012 was
reviseduptoa9.7%increase,fromthe4.7%
increaseforecastlastFebruary.
 Manitoba’s total capital investments
increased to a record $12.3 billion in 2012.
Private investment increased 4.9% while
publiccapitalinvestmentincreased21.1%.
 From 2006 to 2011, Manitoba private
investmenthasincreased by 34% compared
to a 14% national increase. Over the same
period, Manitoba total investment has

increased 45% compared to a 22% national
increase.
HousingStarts
 In 2012, Manitoba all area housing starts
increased 19.1% almost double the 10.8%
national increase and the third best growth
among provinces. Manitoba starts reached
7,242 units, the highest level since 1987.
Single starts were up 8.8% (4,169 units –
now the highest since 1987) and multiples
increased 36.5% (3,073
 units also the best
since1987).
 Inthefirstthreemonthsof2013,Manitoba
urban area housing starts increased 21.0%,
fourth best among provinces and better
thanthe17.0%nationaldecline.Singlestarts
were up 5.0% and multiples starts are up
36.9%.Urbanhousingstartsrepresentabout
70%ofallstartsintheprovince.
 Manitoba all area housing starts increased
3.3%in2011to6,083
units,higherthanthe
2.1% national increase. Single starts were
down 3.6% (3,831 units) while multiples
wereup17.8%(2,252units).
 In 2012, total and multiple starts were at
theirhighestlevelsince1987.
 Manitoba’sgrowthinhousingstartsin2011
was fifth highest  among provinces and

abovethenationalaverage.
 Manitoba urban area housing starts
increased 18.1% in 2012 to 4,910 units, the
highest level since 1987. Manitoba urban
housing starts growth was above the
national increase of 11.0%. Single starts
were up 4.3% (2,502 units) while multiples
were up 36.9% (2,408 units) the highest
levelsince1987.
BuildingPermits
 Inthefirsttwomonthsof2013,thevalueof
Manitoba building permits increased 21.6%,
betterthan Canada’s7.5%decline andthird
nationally.
 Manitoba residential permits increased
(15.6%) and non‐residential permits
increased (31.2%). Non‐residential building
permits were supported by: industrial
permits (30.5%); commercial permits
(27.6%);andinstitutional
permits(44.7%).
 Total permits in Winnipeg increased 35.8%
while outside of Winnipeg they declined
14.3%.
 In 2012, the value of Manitoba building
permitsincreased34.9%,thehighestgrowth

HousingStarts(AllAreas)(%Change)
 Manitoba Canada


2009 (24.6) (29.4)
2010 41.1 27.4
2011 3.3 2.1
2012 19.1 10.8

Note:Changesarecalculatedrelativetothe
correspondingperiodinthepreviousyear.Updated:April16,2013Page5of5

ManitobaEconomicHighlights
among provinces and above the national
increaseof9.3%.
Bankruptcies
 InJanuary2013,businessbankruptcieswere
up 66.7% in Manitoba, and ranked eighth.
Business bankruptcies are down 12.7% in
Canada.
 In January 2013, consumer bankruptcies
were down 13.7% in Manitoba, tied for
secondwithAlberta.Consumerbankruptcies
areup0.8%inCanada.
 In 2012, business bankruptcies were down
40.0% in Manitoba, more than three times
better than Canada, down 11.2%, and best
nationally.
 In 2012, consumer bankruptcies were down
15.7% in Manitoba, almost double Canada’s
decline of 8.3%, and fourth best  among
provinces.
ForeignMerchandiseExports
 In the first two months of 2013, Manitoba

exports increased 1.1%, while Canadian
exportsweredown0.8%.
 Inthefirst twomonths of2013,Manitoba’s
U.S. exports increased 3.8% while non‐U.S.
exportsweredown4.4%.
 In 2012, Manitoba exports declined 4.8%,
while Canadian exports were up 2.0%.
Manitoba U.S. exports were up 4.5% and
Manitoba’snon‐U.S.exportsdeclined19.1%.
Hydro‐ElectricitySales
 Inthefirsttwomonthsof2013,thevalueof
hydro sales increased 14.3% with a 14.7%
increase in domestic sales being further
supported by a 11.1% increase in export
sales.
 Exports to other Canadian provinces
.increased3.1%whileU.S.exportsadvanced
13.1%.
 In 2012, the value of hydro sales declined
2.8% with a 0.9% drop in domestic sales
being further reduced by a 9.3% decline in
exportsales.
 

ForeignMerchandiseExports
(%Change)
 2012 2013 (ytd)

AllCountries ‐4.81.1
U.S. 4.53.8

Non‐U.S. ‐19.1‐4.4

ManitobaFinance
EconomicandFiscalAnalysisBranch,Taxation,
EconomicandIntergovernmentalFiscal
ResearchDivision‐(204)945‐3757

Director:NarendraBudhia



Manager:JeffPowell



Analyst:RobbBalacko



Analyst:StephenVerhaeghe



Pleaseclickoneconomicstatistics
toviewthedata
underlyingthisreport.

Note:The2013ManitobaBudget
isavailableat:
ManitobaBudgetApril16,2013

