Office of Statistics and Information (OSI)

This office plans, consolidates, develops and promotes Alberta's demographic, economic and social statistics.

Statistics

As the Government of Alberta's official statistics agency, the OSI collects and manages the following statistics and provides other statistical links and resources:

Key facts

Quarterly Population Estimates

Table 1. Quarterly population estimates

Location Population Estimates as of April 1, 2018
Alberta 4,334,025
Canada 37,067,011
Source: Statistics Canada data subject to revision)

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

All-items (Unadjusted 2002=100)

Table 2. Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Location % change, June 2018
to July 2018		 % change, July 2017
to July 2018
Alberta 0.8% 3.5%
    Edmonton 0.8% 3.8%
    Calgary 0.9% 3.3%
Canada 0.5% 3.0%
Source: Statistics Canada data subject to revision)

Unemployment Rate (unadjusted)

Table 3. Unemployment Rate (unadjusted)

Location June 2018 July 2018
Alberta 6.3% 7.0%
Canada 5.7% 6.0%
Source: Statistics Canada data subject to revision)

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Expenditure

Table 4. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Expenditure

Location GDP in 2016 (Millions of chained
2007 Canadian Dollars)		 % Change
(2015 to 2016)
Alberta 302,768 -3.7%
Canada 1,801,368 1.4%
Source: Statistics Canada data subject to revision)

News

Items are removed from this list after 3 months and listed on relevant web pages in this section.

* Open data licensed under Alberta’s Open Government Licence
** Not open – see PDF for metadata risk considerations, data source and contact information

About the OSI

The OSI is Alberta's statistical agency and a Statistical Focal Point for Statistics Canada. Our mandate is to plan, promote, consolidate and develop social and economic statistics relating to Alberta. We develop and analyze:

  • social, demographic and economic statistics
  • geospatial statistics on social and economic issues

We also provide:

  • analytical and data support to government ministries
  • information to the public

Governing legislation and privacy

The Office of Statistics and Information Act (the Act) and its associated regulation affirms the OSI as the Government of Alberta’s official statistics agency. The OSI is authorized to collect personal information, either on its own or jointly with another party by conducting surveys and censuses.

Collection of personal information

The Act has provisions for protecting personal information and penalties for offences.

Most personal information used by the OSI will be an indirect collection from:

  • other Government of Alberta ministries and agencies
  • government departments and statistical agencies in other jurisdictions

The Act authorizes the OSI to enter into agreements to collect and disclose information, so the OSI may disclose information to these same parties.

Information and privacy

The OSI’s privacy practices comply with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act.

The OSI’s practices are also affected by other provincial and federal privacy legislation concerning the public sector and private sector.

Provincial statistical focal point

The OSI represents Alberta to the Statistics Canada Federal-Provincial-Territorial Consultative Council on Statistical Policy.

The OSI:

  • identifies Government of Alberta (GoA) statistical needs
  • communicates as one government with one voice to the Consultative Council
  • coordinates GoA representation on the Consultative Council's subcommittees through the GoA Statistics Council

See the Statistics links and resources page for links to other Provincial and Territorial Statistical Focal Points.

About Alberta statistics

Alberta statistics are generally produced by a government body and are:

  • publicly available facts
  • summarized data about a subject, or
  • other information

Some Alberta statistics are deemed ‘Official Statistics’ where:

  • there are multiple data sources
  • there is a lack of consensus or understanding about which source should be used
  • one data source is deemed ‘official’ and this is the data source that should be used in most cases
  • potential users are informed about which data source to use for specific purposes

The OSI publishes both Alberta Statistics and Official Statistics. The majority of the Official Statistics are stored in the Open Government Portal. There are no technical or legal restrictions for using open data.

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For Government of Alberta employees

Government of Alberta employees may access additional data and statistical information products, resources and features.

Contact

Ryan Mazan, Chief Statistician/Director
Office of Statistics and Information

Phone: 780-643-1074 
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: ryan.mazan@gov.ab.ca

General OSI enquiries

Hours: 8:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Monday to Friday, closed from noon to 1 p.m. and statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-2071 
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Fax: 780-426-3951
Email:  osi.support@gov.ab.ca

Media enquiries

Contact the Treasury Board and Finance Spokesperson.