Population growth outpaced economic growth between June and September,  with production per person shrinking 0.4 per cent—the sixth quarter of decline in a row, Statistics Canada reported. (The Logic)

Talking point: Per-capita GDP is often seen as a key marker of long-term prosperity. Many of the elements underneath the headline number were also discouraging. Spending on new residential construction fell slightly, though the costs of housing ownership transfers went up. Exports shrank 0.3 per cent. Banks posted larger gross operating surpluses, but non-financial corporations saw their incomes shrink and insurance companies took hits from payouts for weather damage. There was one bright spot for workers struggling with the cost of living: employee compensation increased 1.7 per cent in the quarter, markedly more than recent inflation.