Real gross domestic product (GDP) fell in every province in 2020 after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11.
Statistics Canada says that over the course of the year, all levels of government implemented measures to limit the spread of the virus, including mandatory closures of non-essential businesses, travel restrictions and physical distancing rules. these, combined with a shift by many Canadians to work from home, affected almost every segment of the Canadian economy.
For most provinces, the economic contraction in 2020 was the most severe observed in 40 years. The biggest contraction was in Alberta, where GDP fell 8.2 per cent.
In Saskatchewan, GDP fell 5.2% in 2020, the largest decline since 2009. Goods-producing industries (-6.7%) contributed more to the decline than services-producing industries (-4.1%). Saskatchewan was the sole province where the goods-producing industries contributed more to the overall decline in its economy.

Mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction dropped 9.2%, as oil and gas extraction fell 12.8% because of weak demand and an excess supply of oil on world markets. Support activities for mining, and oil and gas extraction dropped 32.9%. Potash mining grew 7.8%, but other metal ore mining (uranium) was down 39.3%. Construction activity decreased 10.9%, owing to a significant decline in oil and gas engineering (-35.3%), with the completion of the Enbridge Line 3 in December 2019 and a drop in non-residential building construction (-24.4%). Manufacturing industries decreased 8.2%, led by petroleum refineries (-15.2%) and fabricated metal products (-16.9%). Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (+1.8%) was the lone goods-producing sector to post a gain in the province, bolstered mainly by crop production (except cannabis) (+2.1%).
As a result of public health restrictions on travel and social gatherings, transportation and warehousing (-10.5%), accommodation and food services (-25.4%), and arts, entertainment and recreation services (-34.3%) all declined. Health care and social assistance fell 5.4%, mainly in ambulatory care, while educational services were down 4.9%. Conversely, finance and insurance services rose 4.9%, mostly as a result of higher output of credit intermediation services.