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Canadians spent $8.5 billion on hunting and sports shooting 2018, with Albertans accounting for more than $1 billion of that number, shows a new survey from the Conference Board of Canada.

The survey was commissioned by the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association (CSAAA) and explores the economic impact of recreational weapons in the country.

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For Alison de Groot, the managing director of CSAAA, an advocacy group for Canadian businesses within the firearms industry, the numbers indicate that government gun policies need to consider effects on businesses.

“I think it’s really important that the industry be part of this conversation and that politicians also talk about jobs and our economy in Canada,” said de Groot, who was in Edmonton at Phoenix Indoor Range and Gun Shop to announce the survey results.

The survey also found that the recreational weapons industry accounted for about 48,000 jobs in Canada in 2018, including an estimated 5,000 full-time equivalent jobs in Alberta.