We’re well into March, which means milder weather for much of the country. And it also means more potholes popping up all over the roads, as the freeze-thaw cycle goes into overdrive. For drivers, it’s a minefield. For road crews, it can be an exhausting game of whack-a-mole!
Operators in the food services and drinking places subsector continued to recover in 2022, as most restrictions were lifted by mid-year and Canadians felt more comfortable going to restaurants and bars. Operating revenue at food services and drinking places increased by almost one-quarter (+24.3%) year over year to $84.2 billion in 2022, up 7.4% from 2019, just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Natural gas is a key component in Canada’s energy product stack. Between its use for heating, electricity generation and as a key input for the extraction of bitumen from the oil sands, it is no surprise that natural gas is of critical importance as Canada’s demand of energy continues to grow.
Canada is blessed with water. We have the longest coastline in the world and the third highest volume of renewable fresh water. To celebrate World Water Day, let’s dive into some water-related data.
Output at petroleum product refineries returned to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels in 2023, with more Canadians taking to the road and sky.
Over the past two years in particular, Canadians have been encountering higher prices at the grocery store and other places where they buy their food. These places, in turn, source their own products, whether that be through a distributor, an importer, or a local farmer.
Whether you’re an early riser, a notorious snoozer or a mid-afternoon napper, the need for sleep is one thing we all have in common. In honour of World Sleep Day on March 15, we’re taking a look at some sleepy findings and figures from the 2020 Canadian Community Health Survey.
Geopolitical conflicts continued to cause uncertainty in the crude oil markets in 2023, although prices subsided from the elevated levels of 2022. Annual production of crude oil and equivalent products rose for the third consecutive year, up 1.4% to 286.4 million cubic metres in 2023, resulting in the highest volume since the start of this data series in 2016. Based on the latest available international data (2022), Canada remained among the top four oil producers worldwide.
Forests are an important part of life in Canada; in fact, Canada has the third-largest forested area in the world. From coast to coast, millions of trees grow everywhere around us. So, wherever you live in this country, you have likely had the chance to spend some time surrounded by trees in one of Canada’s many beautiful forests.
Total electricity generated in Canada fell 3.9% year over year to 615.3 million megawatt-hours (MWh) in 2023. For reference, 1 MWh of electricity is equivalent to the power needed to light two 60-watt bulbs for an entire year. Overall, 2023 marked the lowest level of electricity generation since changes were introduced to this data series in 2016, which is notable considering that additional generating capacity comes online every year. Nearly all of the decline in electricity generation in 2023 was weather-related.
