Manufacturing

The top three manufacturing export sectors in 2015 were chemicals (especially synthetic resins such as polyethylene), food and beverages, and machinery. However, the downturn in the province's oil and gas industry meant a corresponding decline in demand for Alberta's manufactured products in 2015. The weakened performance of the American industrial sector and the drop in drilling across the continent contributed to this. In 2015, this meant a 13.8% drop in sales, to $68.1 billion.

The food manufacturing industry, which grew by 4.4% between 2013 and 2015, has been a bright spot. Some of this is attributable to the weaker Canadian dollar and stronger U.S. demand for Alberta food products. The income growth of consumers in emerging markets has also led to more demand for Canadian food products.

As oil prices recover, the provincial government expects manufacturing shipments to move upward again. An increase in investment in plastics manufacturing will allow the Joffre polyethylene plant expansion to begin operating in late 2016. Furthermore, the province believes that its 2016 Petrochemicals Diversification Program may lead to the construction of two to three new facilities in Alberta, increasing manufacturing opportunities. Any approved pipeline expansion would also bring more manufacturing jobs.

In 2017, construction begins on the $10 million expansion of the Food Processing Development Centre and Agrivalue Business Incubator in Leduc. The facility works with 80 to 100 companies annually to develop new food and beverage manufacturing prospects, and expects increased opportunities due to the expansion.