Live Canadian Data

Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake, Alberta

AB Economic Region 4880 · Pop. 161,013
16 Sources Jun 06, 2026
161,013 ▲
Population
$182,000 ▼
Median Income (CAD)
$84,000 national
6.0% ▲
Unemployment
$473.9B
Provincial GDP (CAD)
79,600
Total Employment
25.0% ▲
Bachelor's+
25.0% national
Data / Canada / Alberta / Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake
Demographics Economy Industry Concentration Workforce Housing AI Insights

Demographics & Population

Statistics Canada · 2021 Census of Population

Household Income

Source: Statistics Canada · 2021 Census of Population
Median Household Income
$182,000
Poverty Rate (LIM-AT) ⓘ
11.3%
Low Income Measure, after tax · Alberta 2024 · Canada: 12.5%
Median Income Comparison (CAD)
Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake$182,000
National$84,000

Community Snapshot

Source: Statistics Canada · 2021 Census of Population
161,013
Population
31,233
Total Dwellings
Total Employment
79,600
Unemployment Rate StatCan LFS 2024 annual
6.0% ▲ +1.0 pts YoY
Industry Sectors
10
Age Distribution
0-14: 20.4% (32,872 residents) 15-54: 58.1% (93,574 residents) 55-64 (near retirement): 10.8% (17,422 residents) 65+: 10.6% (17,145 residents) 35.9 Avg Age
0-14: 32,872
15-54: 93,574
55-64: 17,422
65+: 17,145
Visible Minority Composition
Filipino 5.8%
South Asian 4.0%
Black 3.8%
Arab 1.3%
Chinese 0.7%
Latin American 0.6%
Not a visible minority(complement) 82.6%
"Visible minority" is a Statistics Canada classification defined by the Employment Equity Act and refers to "persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour." "Not a visible minority" is the complement to the total visible minority population. Top 6 groups shown; smaller groups are included in totals but not charted.
Indigenous Identity
19.3% identify as Indigenous
First Nations 11.1%
Métis 7.5%
Multiple Indigenous responses 0.3%
Indigenous responses, n.i.e. 0.2%
Indigenous identity per Statistics Canada Census 2021 (Table 98-10-0293): First Nations (North American Indian), Métis, and Inuk (Inuit), plus multiple and other Indigenous responses. Counts use census random rounding, so categories may not sum exactly to the total.
Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake's median household income sits 117% above the Canadian national median across 161,013 residents with a working-age-skewed age structure (65+: 10.6%, 0-14: 20.4%).
Source: Statistics Canada 2021 Census of Population via CensusMapper.ca
Key Takeaways
Auto-generated from Statistics Canada deltas.

Educational Attainment

Source: Statistics Canada · Table 37-10-0130 · Alberta province-wide (ages 25-64)
94%
High School+
Canada: 93%
▲ +1 pts
25%
Bachelor's+
Canada: 25%
▲ +0 pts
11%
Graduate+
Canada: 14%
▼ 3 pts

Economy & Industry

Statistics Canada · Labour Force Survey · Provincial GDP

$473.9B
Provincial Gross Domestic Product (CAD)
Source: Statistics Canada · Provincial Economic Accounts
79,600
Total Employment
$182,000
Median Income
79,600
Total Employment
Source: StatCan Labour Force Survey
$182,000
Median Income (CAD)
Source: Statistics Canada · 2021 Census

Top Industries by Employment

Source: Statistics Canada · Labour Force Survey
IndustryEmploymentShare of Top Sectors
1Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas		 19,700 24.7%
2Technical trades and transportation officers and controllers		 10,900 13.7%
3Wholesale and retail trade		 10,100 12.7%
4Health care and social assistance		 8,000 10.1%
5Construction		 7,800 9.8%
6General trades		 5,800 7.3%
7Educational services		 5,300 6.7%
8Public administration		 4,500 5.7%
9Accommodation and food services		 3,900 4.9%
10Other services (except public administration)		 3,600 4.5%
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Key Takeaways
Generated from Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey.
Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake's Top Sectors by Workforce Share
Each rectangle's area is proportional to that sector's share of the top sectors. Hover for exact employment.
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey · NAICS supersectors

Housing & Rental Market

Statistics Canada Table 34-10-0133 (Rents) - Table 34-10-0127 (Vacancy) - Reference year 2025

Note: figures are single-year vintages. StatCan and CMHC do not publish ACS-style rolling 5-year housing averages, the long-form Census of Population every 5 years (2016, 2021) plays the equivalent precision role.

CMHC Average Rents by Bedroom

Source: Statistics Canada Table 34-10-0133 - 2025
9.0%
Annual Rent (2BR) as % of Median Household Income - Affordable
30% threshold = "cost-burdened" (CMHC / HUD convention). Computed from $1,362 median 2BR rent × 12 / $182,000 household income.
Bachelor
$948/mo
1 Bedroom
$1,140/mo
2 Bedroom
$1,362/mo
3+ Bedroom
$1,643/mo
30% of monthly median household income (~$4,550/mo), rents above this line are typically considered cost-burdened.

Vacancy & Housing Stock

Source: Statistics Canada Table 34-10-0127 - 2021 Census Dwellings
4.4%
CMHC Vacancy Rate (apartment structures of 6+ units)
Near the 3% balanced-market benchmark.
Total Dwellings
31,233
Avg 2BR Rent
$1,362/mo
Vacancy Rate
4.4%
Key Takeaways
  • Affordable rental market: Annual 2BR rent eats 9.0% of median household income, well below the 30% cost-burdened threshold; supports talent attraction.
Generated from CMHC RMS rent data and StatCan median household income.

Industry Concentration

Location Quotient: industries where Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake over- or under-indexes vs. the Canadian national average

Provincial NAICS-3 sub-sector basis (no ER-level NAICS-3 data is published by StatCan; provincial figures inherit to Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake).

Concentrated Industries
Source: Statistics Canada Table 33-10-0222-01 · 3-digit NAICS sub-sector, establishment basis, LQ computed vs. national share. Note: LFS-based or SEPH-based employment LQ may differ, StatCan publishes household and payroll employment series with different methodologies.
Oil and gas extraction
5.66x
1,048
Support activities for mining, and oil and gas extraction
4.40x
3,634
Pipeline transportation
3.36x
80
Petroleum and petroleum products merchant wholesalers
1.98x
236
Heavy and civil engineering construction
1.82x
2,338
Utilities
1.71x
332
Rental and leasing services
1.46x
1,253
Waste management and remediation services
1.43x
673

Attraction Opportunities - Below Average Industries

LQ < 0.5, below-average sub-sector representation vs. national. Source: Statistics Canada Table 33-10-0222-01 (NAICS-3 establishments, provincial)
0.02x
Fishing, hunting and trapping
12 establishments
0.19x
Water transportation
8 establishments
0.26x
Clothing manufacturing
46 establishments
0.26x
Paper manufacturing
19 establishments
0.32x
Motion picture and sound recording industries
225 establishments
Key Takeaways
  • Top specialization: Oil and gas extraction concentrates at 5.66x the national norm, signature-sector territory.
  • Cluster depth: 8 sectors register LQ >= 1.5, suggesting an interconnected industrial base rather than reliance on a single sector.
  • Attraction whitespace: 5 sectors register LQ < 0.5, candidates for diversification or recruitment.
Generated from StatCan Table 33-10-0222-01 (NAICS-3 sub-sector establishment counts), provincial inheritance.

Workforce & Labour

Labour force composition from Statistics Canada population estimates and employment data

Source: StatCan Table 17-10-0137
110,996
Working Age (15-64)
Employment rate: 72% of working-age population (15-64) 72% Employment Rate

Labour Summary

Source: StatCan LFS + Population Estimates
Total Employment
79,600
Working Age Pop
110,996
Youth (0-14)
32,872
Seniors (65+)
17,145

Dependency & Aging

Source: StatCan population estimates
11%
Seniors (65+) Share
Youth / Senior Ratio
100:100

Aging Workforce

Source: StatCan 17-10-0150 · Population estimates by economic region, age
15.7%
55+ of working-age (15-64)

Workforce by Occupation

Source: Statistics Canada Table 14-10-0416 NOC 2021 broad categories (2025 - province-level)
Management / Professional
55.0%
Sales & Service
21.7%
Trades / Transport
17.1%
Natural Resources
2.9%
Manufacturing
3.3%
Bars scaled 2x for visual differentiation; percentage labels show actual share of 2,590,100 employed workers across Alberta. Economic Region-level occupation data is not published by StatCan; this provincial breakdown is the closest available proxy.

Commute

Source: StatCan 2021 Census Table 98-10-0457
Mean Commute 5.2 min above national avg
28.9 min

Work From Home

Source: StatCan 2021 Census Table 98-10-0455
Worked At Home vs 24.3% national
11.7%
Census 2021 long-form: percent of employed labour force aged 15+ whose place of work is "at home".
Key Takeaways
  • Working-age base: 110,996 residents aged 15-64 (68.9% of population) form the labour pool.
  • Employment rate: 72% of working-age residents are employed (79,600 workers).
  • Pipeline strength: Youth (0-14) materially exceed seniors (65+); long-term workforce supply is a structural asset.
Generated from Statistics Canada Census 2021 + Labour Force Survey.

AI-Powered Insights

Machine learning analysis across Canadian data sources

Sample AI Insight - a preview of the synthesis EP produces for paying customers

Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake's industrial base is anchored by Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas with 19,700 workers, followed by Technical trades and transportation officers and controllers and Wholesale and retail trade.

Industry Shift Analysis

Manufacturing Automation Risk
High
Healthcare Growth Forecast
+4.2% CAGR
Remote Work Migration
67/100

Prospect Match Scores

Advanced Manufacturing
92/100
Life Sciences
84/100
Data Centers
71/100

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Economic
Demographic
Housing
Workforce
Median Income
$182,000
CAD · $84,000 national
Provincial GDP
$473.9B
Total Employment
79,600
Top Employers by Sector
Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas
19,700
Technical trades and transportation officers and controllers
10,900
Wholesale and retail trade
10,100
Health care and social assistance
8,000
Construction
7,800
Statistics Canada, StatCan LFS, CMHC, CRTC · Auto-updatedPowered by ExecutivePulse
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NAICS employment
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Education + labour
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Quality of Life
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Data Sources

All data from official Canadian government APIs. Auto-refreshed on publication schedules.

Statistics Canada Census 20212021
StatCan Labour Force Survey2025
StatCan LFS Unemployment Rate (14-10-0393)2024
StatCan GDP Tables2024
CMHC Rental Market2025
CRTC Broadband Data2025
CensusMapper.ca2021
StatCan Education (37-10-0130)2025
StatCan Population (17-10-0150)2025
StatCan Postsecondary Enrolments (37-10-0277)2024
StatCan Top Occupations (14-10-0416)2025
StatCan Commute (98-10-0457/0458)2021
StatCan Place of Work (98-10-0455/0456)2021
StatCan Low Income (11-10-0135)2024
StatCan Visible Minority (98-10-0352)2021
StatCan Indigenous Identity (98-10-0293)2021