Regina, SK – According to the Conference Board of Canada’s Metropolitan Autumn 2011 Outlook, Regina continues to have one of the strongest growth rates in Canada and is forecasted to end 2011 with the country’s highest GDP growth.

In 2011, Regina will lead the country in growth with a forecasted GDP growth rate of 4.0% and the city will continue to see healthy growth in 2012 at about 3.4%, maintaining its position as one of Canada’s top performers. The capital city experienced real GDP growth of 4.9% in 2010, second only to Saskatoon.

Factors such as corporate investment and infrastructure investment have enabled the city to continually grow and prosper leading to both expanding labour force and population growth. Last year marked the fifth straight year of annual gain for steady job creation with numbers from interprovincial migration hitting a record high in 2010.

“It’s no surprise that we continue to see such positive trends continuing in the Regina region with the range of opportunities that are offered here,” says Larry Hiles, President and CEO of Regina Regional Opportunities Commission (RROC). “With the significant growth and investment our region is experiencing in corporate and infrastructure development, the positive outcomes are likely to be sustained for years to come.”

With large scale projects such as the Regina Revitalization initiative, the near completion of the downtown City Square and the ongoing activity at the Global Transportation Hub , the city is expected to see a 3.8% rise in the construction sector alone. The future seems even brighter for 2012 as growth in this sector is forecasted to rise to 5.2%.

The Metropolitan Outlook is a great tool to confirm what we already know to be true about Regina. It provides further evidence that with a thriving local economy, steady employment gains and continued income advances, the city is poised for sustained growth in the coming years.