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The number of Albertans filing for bankruptcy this year has risen compared to the first quarter of 2018.

The first quarter of 2019 saw the number of consumer insolvencies in Alberta rise by 15.2 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2018 according to a report by the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy released Monday. In comparison, Canada as a whole saw a six per cent increase.

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Edmonton had a 10.6 per cent increase between the first quarters of 2018 and 2019, while Calgary held an 8.5 per cent increase.

“Alberta has been going through a tough time for the past three or four years,” said Zaki Alam, an Edmonton-based insolvency trustee with MNP advisory services. “There’s been job losses, there’s a lot more cash-flow issues.”

Alam said it has become normal for workers laid off during the energy sector’s economic downturn to find lower paying jobs without lowering their monthly expenses.