A comparison of GDP per capita in Saskatchewan with other provinces yields some unexpected results, namely that Saskatchewan's figure, while much lower than the average in Alberta, is at the national average and higher than in British Columbia or Manitoba (see Figure 2.23). So Alberta residents are “richer” in the sense that their economy produces more wealth for each resident but Saskatchewan is on a par with other Canadians.

The growth rate in GDP per capita tells an interesting story as well. It shows that a great deal of the economic growth in Canada as a whole and Alberta in particular can be attributed to population growth. Figure 2.24 shows that on a per capita basis, Saskatchewan's economy has outperformed the economies of both neighbouring provinces and Canada as a whole since 1984.