Alberta cities tumble down annual list of Top Entrepreneurial Communities

Alberta has always been known as an entrepreneurial province but a report released today by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business is casting some doubts on that.

Last year, this region was first overall in the ranking.

In the 2016 Entrepreneurial Communities study, only the municipalities surrounding Calgary made the top 25 annual rankings of Canada's best places to start and grow a business.

“The fact that only one Alberta municipal area made top 25 in this latest report clearly shows just how difficult the operating environment for entrepreneurs has become thanks to one of the worst recessions our province has ever experienced,'' said Amber Ruddy, Alberta Director for CFIB, in a statement.

The Calgary periphery includes Airdrie, Rocky View, Cochrane, and Chestermere.  

The 2016 overall rankings:

1.     Collingwood, ON

2.     Riviere-du-Loup, QC

3.     Kelowna, BC

4.     Penticton, BC

5.     Toronto periphery, ON

6.     Barrie, ON

7.     Kentville, NS

8.     Saint-Georges, QC

9.     Chilliwack, BC

10.  Cobourg, ON

The CFIB said the 2016 rankings (2015 in parentheses) for Alberta’s largest cities are: Calgary periphery 23rd (1st), Camrose 27th (11th), Grande Prairie 31st (4th), Okotoks 36th (6th), Lloydminster 37th (9th), Brooks 40th (7th), Edmonton Periphery 47th (8th), Wood Buffalo/Fort McMurray 50th (21st), Lethbridge 55th (18th), Medicine Hat 85th (19th), Red Deer 98th (23rd), City of Edmonton 107th (48th), and City of Calgary 112th (45th). 

 “It is important to point out the change in the rankings for Alberta’s cities compared to last year is not due to any major policy changes by municipal governments, but can largely be attributed to the dismal outlook of our province’s entrepreneurs,'' said Ruddy.