I don't buy an improved economy theory. Its a commodity priced in U.S dollars, that is going down! The more the fed continues to run the printing presses and killing the dollar. The Canadian dollar is just above the American. If we sell oil in U.S dollars, when we convert it we'll loose money unless we charge more. $91 U.S per barrel converts to $90 CDN. That dollar or so raise is to make up for taking the U.S dollar for oil! Alberta sends 1.4 million barrels of oil per day to the U.S! An extra dollar and change is a lot when its a million or so barrels...................... The recent increase really just puts the U.S dollar on par with us at least.