Prairies Consumer Confidence
According to the Conference Board of Canada, consumer confidence in the Prairies was up in January 2023 for the first time since May 2022.
Concerning job prospects over the next six months, the number of respondents expecting stability remained high. The number of respondents who expressed pessimism remains elevated compared to recent history and the gap continues to widen between those respondents expecting worse conditions and those who are optimistic.
Regarding expectations for their household budget over the next six months, the number of respondents expecting deterioration in their household finances moved lower as the number of respondents expecting an improvement trended slightly higher.
Sentiment about making major purchases, like a home or a car, remains at historically subdued levels. The overall percentage of consumers who thought it was a good time to make a major purchase was little changed in January but remained at one of the lowest levels on record.
Note: Based on 3-month moving averages.
