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The economy in the Edmonton area appears to have rebounded from two years of recession, growing by an estimated 3.9 per cent in 2017 and expected to continue expanding in 2018.

About 11,000 units of housing are predicted to be built, helping to create jobs. The unemployment rate, which dropped to 7.8 per cent in November from 8.2 per cent in October, is predicted to continue declining, although it will likely stay above the national average.

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The Edmonton area has a more diversified economy than many other parts of Alberta, but energy and related industries remain important, and continued growth requires oil prices to remain stable.

Here are 10 business-related events to watch for in 2018.

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Canada’s first new refinery since 1984 is scheduled to reach full commercial production by this summer, capping years of construction and planning.

The Sturgeon refinery in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland northeast of Edmonton will turn bitumen into ultra low-sulphur diesel and other products in an operation described as the world’s first to incorporate carbon capture from the beginning.