Edmonton to outpace national growth, says economist

Edmontonis expected to continue to outpace the rest of the country in economic growth, says thecity's chief economist.

In his annual outlook, John Rose said heanticipates vibrant growth for theEdmontonregion in 2013.

"Construction, trade and personal services are expected to create about 6,000 new jobs over the next 12 months," he said. "Even as conditions in the international environment slow, the city and regions annual growth for 2013, when adjusted for inflation, should be in the range of 3.5% to 4.5% compared to the expected annual growth of 2.4% for Canada."

Housing prices and salesare expected to grow by at least two per centin 2013.

Throughout 2012, Edmonton saw outstanding growth and a strong economy due to population growth, employment growth and a robust construction sector outlook, Rose said.