A Calgary growth stat that blew my mind

[Juventus3]

Just learned this in a lecture today. Talking about head office placement across Canada, and Calgary's absolutely explosive growth in the area. It really proves that although the oil and gas industry is leading the charge, Calgary's economy across the board is doing extremely well.

My prof gave a breakdown from a source that was written in 2003 that listed each City's # of company head offices. It was something like:

Toronto - 375 (Still the clear leader in the country)
Montreal - 140
Calgary - 105
Vancouver - 79

And almost as a joke said Edmonton was at 18 (What made it all the better is I go to school in Vancouver and the people here still love to make fun of them).

So anyways, like I said, that stat was from 2003, about 4 years ago. Then I did some googling and found this statscan link from 2005:
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060713/d060713b.htm

The graphs and charts on that page don't copy over to CP very well, but you can get an idea of how uniform our growth has been since 1999.

Calgary saw head office employment increase at ~65% over that time period. That's 3x Toronto, the second fastest, at ~20%.

Anyways, just thought people might find that interesting/amazing. It's one thing to see a city's # of jobs increase, but to see that much growth in the corporate head office area really speaks to our reputation IMO.

Here's another link to a CBC news story:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-col...c-hq-jobs.html

[V]

I was just born back then, but apparently it didn't look a whole lot different in 79. A ton of head offices started popping up around here. They took off awfully fast when the bust hit, though. This is what an old guy tells me, at least.

I would say that these numbers have nothing to do with the diversity of our economy. It's O&G or bust over here, at least that's the way it looks to me.

[soulchoice]

I still always find these kind of reports to be misleading though for Calgary. Especially since Calgary has little or no metro. For example, Vancouver although down the list may be higher if one was to include Richmond, Burnaby, etc, which are still essentially known as a part of Vancouver. Hence Vancouvers number would be more than listed.

If one was to include Toronto and its metro, it would be much higher than us as well. Mississauga alone has a huge amount of head offices. I would like to see what the stats are for head offices with respect to metro areas, as that is a true indication in my opinion.

Just like how metropolian stats are more realistic and the only number that truly counts for population, i believe the same could be said for head office counts.

[looooob]

Originally Posted by soulchoice

I still always find these kind of reports to be misleading though for Calgary. Especially since Calgary has little or no metro. For example, Vancouver although down the list may be higher if one was to include Richmond, Burnaby, etc, which are still essentially known as a part of Vancouver. Hence Vancouvers number would be more than listed.

If one was to include Toronto and its metro, it would be much higher than us as well. Mississauga alone has a huge amount of head offices. I would like to see what the stats are for head offices with respect to metro areas, as that is a true indication in my opinion.

Just like how metropolian stats are more realistic and the only number that truly counts for population, i believe the same could be said for head office counts.

the link says this at one point:
Head office employment concentrated in four metro centres

Canada's head office employment is concentrated in four metropolitan areas — Toronto, Montréal, Calgary and Vancouver. They accounted for 38% of Canada's population in 2005, but 73% of the nation's head office employment

so it is possible (although I'm not sure ) that they are using 'metropolitan' areas at least in part. I agree with your point otherwise

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by soulchoice

If one was to include Toronto and its metro, it would be much higher than us as well. Mississauga alone has a huge amount of head offices.

Isn't Mississauga considered to be part of Toronto now- since the forming of the GTA?

[soulchoice]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Isn't Mississauga considered to be part of Toronto now- since the forming of the GTA?

Only for municipal type affairs/councils I believe, the forming of the GTA is more of a civic government standing(mayor, aldermen) for regional municipalities. Most likely not with respect to other matters. As Mississauga still has seperate population counts, as does Toronto, Scarborough...etc. I could be wrong though.

Unless the article mentions the GTA region, I would assume it is only talking bout Toronto city.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Calgary's head office count might be bigger if it wasn't for the latest round of consolidations in the oilpatch.

BC is so ill suited to conducting business it's not funny. I think it's gotten better since the NDP reign but that legacy lives on.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

BC is so ill suited to conducting business it's not funny. I think it's gotten better since the NDP reign but that legacy lives on.

How so?
There are a ton of huge businesses out here and a large number of Canada's richest businessmen call Vancouver home.

[urban1]

Probably refering to the socialist mentality that exist in the province, strong unions, activists, etc.

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

How so?
There are a ton of huge businesses out here and a large number of Canada's richest businessmen call Vancouver home.

[Juventus3]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

How so?
There are a ton of huge businesses out here and a large number of Canada's richest businessmen call Vancouver home.

They've also been under a civic worker strike for the better part of 2007. I think he's saying it's not as attractive in terms of worker environment. Also helping Calgary is it's high post secondary population.

[bluntus logicimus]

I actually have a head office count table taped to a wall in my office. From page 17 of the the StatCan publication, Insights on the Canadian Economy (Cat No:11-624-M1E, no.014), the 2005 numbers show:

Toronto - 918
Montreal - 536
Vancouver - 335
Calgary - 316

And these are CMA counts.
Based on recent expansion, a good chance that Calgary has passed Vancouver but consolidation in the oil patch makes the rug ranking unclear at this time.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

BC is so ill suited to conducting business it's not funny. I think it's gotten better since the NDP reign but that legacy lives on.

The other side to that coin is that's what big business wants us to think so we don't vote NDP. As far as I can tell when an NDP government is voted in, anywhere, big business starts to pull out to punish that province and it's electors, no matter how willing the NDP wants to play ball.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Interesting... I've been mistakingly assuming for a while now that Calgary actually had the MOST corporate head offices in the country. I swear I read that in an article before.

[Juventus3]

Originally Posted by bluntus logicimus

I actually have a head office count table taped to a wall in my office. From page 17 of the the StatCan publication, Insights on the Canadian Economy (Cat No:11-624-M1E, no.014), the 2005 numbers show:

Toronto - 918
Montreal - 536
Vancouver - 335
Calgary - 316

And these are CMA counts.
Based on recent expansion, a good chance that Calgary has passed Vancouver but consolidation in the oil patch makes the rug ranking unclear at this time.

I'd guess those include foreign controlled companies? Much higher numbers than my prof gave out. I should email him and ask for his source.