Toronto and Hamilton will have the two slowest growing metropolitan economies in 2008 among the 13 large Canadian census metropolitan areas (CMAs) covered in the Conference Board's Metropolitan Outlook - Autumn 2008.

"Mainly because of the woes in their respective manufacturing sectors, both Toronto and Hamilton are on pace to record their weakest economic growth rates since the early 1990s," said Mario Lefebvre, Director, Centre for Metropolitan Studies.

"And given recent layoffs and plant closures, the growth rate in the two CMAs could be even more tepid by the end of the year."

Toronto's manufacturing output is expected to fall for the fourth consecutive year.

On the bright side of the CMA's outlook, both residential and non-residential construction have been driving growth and the services sector continues to benefit from increasing personal disposable income.

Real gross domestic product in Toronto is forecast to grow by 1.3 per cent in 2008.

With its key manufacturing sector in a slump, Hamilton's economy is forecast to grow by just 0.3 per cent in 2008.

Most sectors of the economy are struggling, but numerous non-residential construction projects will help provide some support to the economy.

Western Canadian CMAs are forecast to occupy the top seven positions in the GDP growth ranking for 2008. Saskatoon and Regina rank first and second with real GDP growth rates of 5.2 per cent and 4.1 per cent, respectively.

The Metropolitan Outlook, published quarterly, provides a medium-term forecast for 27 Canadian CMAs. In the Autumn 2008 edition of the forecast, 13 of Canada's largest CMAs are covered.