Alberta is experiencing a Severe Worker Shortage!
Many people do not realize how important is a question: Where am I going to live? At this point, you probably already have decided to immigrate to or have received a visa and medical forms in your hands. Ask yourself one more time: What do I know about my destination? What the reason to go there; relatives, friends, big city, climate, job, anything else? Most of the people put job on first priority.
Why choose Alberta as your home? These are many reasons to choose Alberta as your home province.
Alberta is a natural destination. From the Inland Seas of prairie wheat to the soaring peaks of the Canadian Rockies to the eerily beautiful Hoodoos, Alberta and its natural treasures are meant to be seen and enjoyed by all.
Did you know?
- A leader in economic growth in and the world and earns $20,000 per capita more than any other province in Canada
- Approximately #137 billion worth of new projects on the books
- Alberta is the only debt free province in
- According to “Alberta Human Resources and Employment” (December 2006), Alberta ’s Unemployment at an all-time low
- Highest disposable income
- Alberta ’s Unemployment Rate of 3.0% in 2006
- Alberta had the highest annual Employment Growth Rate among all Canadian provinces
- Amongst all Alberta regions, Calgary had the highest annual labor force participation
Severe Labour Shortage:
- According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), “The need for skilled people is the highest it’s been in the past 25 years … there are currently 250,000 to 300,000 unfilled jobs small and medium-sized businesses”.
- Alberta Human Resources and Employment (AHRE) estimates that almost half of 53 occupational categories in the province are short of workers. Alberta faces a gap between the number of jobs and skilled workers to fill them.
- As faces a looming labor shortage - one million skilled workers by 2020, according to the Conference Board of Canada, governments and industries are scrambling to groom people for the trades for small and mid- sized businesses.
- The biggest shortage is in the construction industry, which has current and long-term opening of 5.5% and 7.2% respectively. Business services and the hospitality sector also reported above average shortages of 4.9 % and 5.5%.
- According to a poll conducted by Canada West Foundation on issues concerning Canadians, the labor shortage was ranked second in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
- Nationwide, Alberta has the greatest shortage of skilled workers, 7.0% on unfilled openings and 5.4% of long-term vacancies.
In Alberta there are two major cities the capital, which is Edmonton and Calgary, which is also the youngest city in.
Calgary is the youngest city in Canada with a wide range of job opportunities. In fact, it is a capital city of Canadian Oil Manufacturers , but oil is just a part of local Industries. Geophysics, Programmers, Medical, Engineers, Mechanics, Bakers and Constructors are just a few of the many professions.
In Calgary, there are educational institutes such as University of Calgary, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), DeVry University, Mount Royal College, Bow Valley College, CDI College and many others. According to Statistics Quality of Education Calgary is one of the best in.
Medical insurance is more flexible then in any other province. In fact, you can get it at the same day you arrive to Alberta as long as it is a working day. It will cover all basic needs and works in any other province in and even abroad. You may even be eligible for upto 100% health care subsidy if you have low income.
Housing, rental and lodging are cheaper then in Vancouver and Toronto.
You have a wide selection of places to go such as Calgary is just one hour of driving from Banff and three hours from Edmonton.
Climate is very dry. We have about 10-15% of humidity in the winter, but 50% in a summer time. That is why you can see people walking without hats when thermometer shows -25. In a summer we have 20-25 degrees and a lot of sun shines.
A lot of people from inside moved in Calgary last time for different reasons. Mainly, because Alberta offers high quality of life for the cheapest price in, not to mention the great job opportunities Calgary Stampede and Calgary flames are some people’s main reason to choose to live Calgary.
It's no wonder that UNESCO crowned Alberta with 5 of’s 13 World Heritage Sites. And each of them is a national treasure: Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Waterton/Glacier National Park, Banff-Jasper National Parks, Wood Buffalo National Park and Dinosaur Provincial Park. We also have 5 National Parks and over sixty Provincial Parks, each one serving up breathtaking beauty.
RECENT NEWS ABOUT ALBERTA WORKER SHORTAGE
Alberta Labour Crunch Expected to Worsen - Edmonton Journal
“Alberta labour crunch expected to worsen Eric Beauchesne, Can West News Service
Published: Tuesday, June 20, 2006.
OTTAWA — Alberta faces a growing and unsustainable labour shortage that poses a threat to the province’s development, according to a Conference Board of Canada report.
The report from the board warned the existing shortage is just the "tip of the iceberg," forecasting the province’s annual shortage of workers could reach 332,000 by 2025 if current job market and labour force trends continue.
The shortage, if not addressed, will likely result in a rapid increase in wages, driving companies to substitute machinery and equipment for labour and to increase labour productivity, the report said. The higher wages could also make some projects so expensive that they would not take place, delaying capital investment, and reducing potential economic growth.
Earnings in Alberta are already outpacing those in the rest of the country and are rising at a pace at which they pose an inflationary threat, it said, noting that earnings in the province are increasing at an annual pace of nearly eight per cent, more than double the 3.5 per cent national average.
Potential solutions to the worsening labour shortage include attracting more workers to Alberta, improving training and apprenticeship programs, implementing more labour mobility agreements, and encouraging aboriginal Canadians and older workers to enter or remain in the workforce."
Labour Crisis Seen as Threat to Oil Projects
Alberta may miss 'growth potential' if jobs can't be filled: think-tank
Ron Chalmers, The Edmonton Journal Published: Wednesday, June 21, 2006
EDMONTON - Investments in Alberta’s energy and infrastructure could be cut back by labour shortages, a Conference Board of Canada report warned Tuesday.
"If faster growth in labour productivity does not make up for the shortage of workers, the province will be unable to achieve its economic growth potential," says Glen Hodgson, chief economist with the Ottawa think-tank. ....."
Would You Like To Read More...
canada.com - Finance, Get stock quotes, free, market news ...
... An Aboriginal solution to Alberta's worker shortage (CNW, 10-13-06); Independent Audit Confirms WSIB On The Right Track (CNW, 10-13-06) more... Search the News. ...
Are foreign temps the best solution to worker shortage?
... solution to worker shortage? The Edmonton Journal. Published: Thursday, April 20, 2006. Several hundred Chinese workers will arrive in northeastern Alberta this ...
Worker shortage may last decades
... Worker shortage may last decades. ... of issues are contributing to the talent shortage, including demographic ... vice-president of operations in Alberta for Manpower. ...
Hospitality industry feeling the pinch of worker shortage
... Hospitality industry feeling the pinch of worker shortage. ... If any one sector is feeling the pinch of the skills shortage, it is Alberta 's hospitality industry ...
... Worker shortage not a problem. ALBERTA: Projects may be delayed but that's it. ...
Health worker shortage growing
... Health worker shortage growing. ... producing enough health graduates to meet a looming shortage of medical ... But the Alberta government said this fall it funded its ...
... City faces worker shortage. Mayor says oil patch luring employees. ...
Labour reforms would fix our worker shortage... Labour reforms would fix our worker shortage. ... the labour situation worsens nationally as the giant sucking sound from Alberta's mega projects continues apace and ...
SOME CLIPS FROM CBC NEWS
Party leaders urged to address Alberta labour shortage
Business leaders in Calgary are trying to put Alberta’s chronic labour shortage on the election radar. ... Party leaders urged to address Alberta labour shortage. ...
Alberta addresses growing labour shortage.
Last Updated: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 | 3:27 PM ET. CBC News. The Alberta government has ...
Help wanted: Alberta asks for ideas on solving labour shortage
... Help wanted: Alberta asks for ideas on solving labour shortage. Last Updated: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 | 11:55 AM ET. CBC News. ...
Alberta addresses growing labour shortage... Alberta addresses growing labour shortage. Last Updated: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 | 1:27 PM MT. CBC News. The Alberta government has ...
Help wanted: Alberta asks for ideas on solving labour shortage
... Help wanted: Alberta asks for ideas on solving labour shortage. Last Updated: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 | 9:55 AM MT. CBC News. ...
Alberta's labour shortage election issue: Chamber of Commerce
Business leaders in Calgary are trying to put Alberta 's chronic labour shortage on the election radar. CBC.ca Homepage. CBC Radio ...
Alberta's labour shortage election issue:
Chamber Business leaders in Calgary are trying to put Alberta 's chronic labour shortage on the election radar. ... Alberta’s labour shortage election issue: Chamber. ..
Alberta faces labour crunch in next 20 years:
Conference Board Alberta could face a labour shortage of 332000 workers by 2025 if current trends continue, the Conference Board of Canada warned Tuesday. ...
Alberta's booming economy triggers consumer frustration
A growing labour shortage in Alberta has left workers exhausted, shoppers unsatisfied, and consumer advocacy groups handling record numbers of consumer ...
Alberta's liquor retailers struggle to meet holiday demand
Alberta 's growing labour shortage and a high demand for alcohol could spell frustration for customers and retailers during the holiday season. ...
The above-mentioned are only few examples. Reality is that many of the businesses in Alberta are forced to reduce their working hours and/or days due to shortage of worker. You can pick any news paper in Alberta and the main headings you will find about "Worker Shortage", "Labour Shortage". Radio and T.V.'s are also talking the same.
PARKS IN ALBERTA
UNESCO World Heritage Site and 's first National Park of Canada (1885).
Elk Island National Park of Canada
Alberta plains oasis for rare and endangered species.
Jasper National Park of Canada
UNESCO World Heritage Site and glacial jewel of the Rockies.
Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada
International Peace Park; where the Rocky Mountains meet the prairie.
Wood Buffalo National Park of Canada
UNESCO World Heritage Site larger than
In Alberta’s five National and 66 Provincial Parks are tracts of true wilderness where human beings still play second fiddle.
Alberta is the only place in North America where the Prairie, Boreal Forest and Mountain Ecosystems collide. As a result, Alberta has 300 species of birds, 90 mammals, 18 types of reptiles and amphibians, 50 species of fish and 1,700 flowering plants.
There are a growing number of organizations that will lead visitors into the wilds and beyond, no matter what their budget is. In the Rocky Mountain parks, dozens of qualified guides, as well as staff at Parks Canada, many hotels, and educational institutes, offer courses and excursions. From basic nature hikes to workshops on grizzly bears and cougars, to bird watching and banding to wildlife ecology and nature photography — the list keeps growing.
In other parts of the province, enjoy nature with aboriginal leaders who add a cultural and historical perspective to any adventure. A three-day canoe trip might involve sleeping in a teepee, foraging natural foods and sessions of Native cooking.
But a nature-based holiday doesn’t always require a high level of fitness or wanderlust. Take a Snocoach Tour on the Athabasca Glacier (at the Columbia Icefield Centre) and stand on a tongue of ice, thousands of years old. While in this neck of the woods, take a stroll behind the Icefield Centre where there’s a small patch of tiny Engelman Spruce, over 700 years old. This area has been granted Zone One — the highest level of protection available in Alberta.
In the north, on the shores of Kimiwan Lake, is the ‘Bird Capital of Canada’. The Lake is at the confluence of three major bird migration paths — the Mississippi , Pacific, and Central. An estimated 27,000 shorebirds and 250,000 waterfowl reside or pass through here.
An excellent Interpretive Center overlooks the Lake and has information on many of the 200 different species sighted here. Other Northern Bird Centers, which include banding, guided walks and interpretive trails, are Hilliards Bay in Wingami Provincial Park, the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory, in Slave Lake and High Prairie. In the South, birders should visit the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale. Here, you can hold a live, specially trained falcon, owl, hawk or eagle and experience a behind-the-scenes tour of this unique facility — famous for its captive breeding and rehabilitation program.
In the far north, take a bushplane over Wood Buffalo National Park, and see the largest herd of wood bison in the world. You will also hear about a remarkable conservation story, a symbol of the extremes Albertans take to protect endangered species. In the '40s, the population of whooping cranes in North America almost vanished. The numbers dipped as low as 21 — the exact count taken in 1954 when a helicopter pilot spotted some ‘whoopers’ nesting in Wood Buffalo. Ever since, a concerted effort has been made to increase their population including an intensive captive-breeding program — which worked, today’s population count of whoopers is 183. In Alberta we make it our business to ensure that sustainable development and tourism co-exist.
Capital of Alberta - Edmonton
Area of Alberta - 661 185 sq. km (255 303 sq. miles); Alberta is the fourth largest province.
Coordinates - Between 49 and 60 degrees North latitude and between 110 and 120 degrees west of longitude.
Width & Length - North to South - 1223 km (764 mi.), East to West - 660km (412 mi.)
Terrain - Land accounts for 97% of the area with the remainder made up of numerous lakes, rivers and streams. The general geographical areas are prairies, parkland (mixed forests and plains), forests and mountain regions.
Climate - The province is characterized by low humidity and considerable contrasts between areas and seasons. Average temperatures range from 15C to 23C (60F to 73F) in July and -8C to -25C (18F to -13F) in January. Alberta receives more days of sunshine than any other province in.
Population of Alberta - 2 907 882 (official 2001 population). Just over 9% of’s population resides in Alberta.
Alberta Resources/Industries - Alberta’s major industries are Energy, Business and Commercial Services, Transportation and Utilities, Finance and Real Estate, Retail and Wholesale Trade, and Manufacturing. Over the past decade, the economy has experienced rapid growth in such industries as Petrochemicals, Forest Products, Food Processing, Machinery, Electronics and Telecommunications, Tourism, and Business Services. Tourism generates over $4 billion in revenues each year.
Highest Mountain in Alberta - Mt. Columbia 3747 m (12,294 ft)
Lowest Point in Alberta - Where the Salt River enters the Northwest Territories in Northeast Alberta 183.0m (600.0 feet)
FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT ALBERTA
- Canada's largest mountain National Park - Jasper National Park
- Canada's first/oldest National Park - Banff National Park
- World's largest shopping and entertainment complex - West Edmonton Mall
- World's first International “Peace Park” - Waterton Lakes/Glacier National Park
- World's second largest/'s largest National Park - Wood Buffalo National Park
- Largest ski area in - Lake Louise
- World's largest Ukrainian Easter Egg (Pysanka) - Vegreville
- Second largest glacier fed lake in the world - Maligne Lake (Jasper National Park
- One of the world's most photographed lakes - Moraine Lake (Banff National Park)
- North America’s largest outdoor music festival - Big Valley Jamboree (Camrose)
- World's largest Tyrannosaurus Rex - Drumheller
- One of the most scenic highways in the world - Ice fields Parkway
- World's largest herd of free roaming bison - Wood Buffalo National Park
- North America’s largest, oldest and best preserved buffalo jump site - Head-Smashed
- Only city in found within two provinces - Loydminster
- Largest museum in Western Canada - Glenbow Museum (Calgary)
- Bird capital of - McLennan
- North America's largest theatre festival - Fringe Festival (Edmonton)
- Second largest zoo in - Calgary Zoo (Calgary)
- One of the richest dinosaurs finds in the world - Dinosaur Provincial Park
- Home of Iceland's greatest poet - Stephansson House (Markerville)
- World's largest Olympic museum - Olympic Hall of Fame (Calgary)
- North America 's first covered speed skating oval - Olympic Speed Skating Oval
- The richest show jumping contest in the world - The Masters (Calgary)
- One of North America 's largest collections of antique and classic cars and trucks
- Greatest outdoor show on earth - Calgary Stampede (Calgary)
- World's first and only U.F.O. landing pad - St. Paul
- More park land per capita than any other North American city - Edmonton
- World's first Indoor bungee jump - West Edmonton Mall (Edmonton)
- World's tallest teepee - Medicine Hat
- North America's largest collection of horse drawn vehicles - Remington Alberta
ALBERTA 'S POSITIVE BUSINESS CLIMATE
- The lowest overall taxes in Canada
- No provincial sales tax (the only province in without one)
- No general capital or payroll taxes prevalent in other provinces and US states
- A highly skilled, educated, and motivated workforce
- A highly entrepreneurial and competitive business community
- A government committed to less regulation to enhance business competitiveness
- A fiscally responsible government that has eliminated its net debt
- A strong science and technology culture
- World-class infrastructure to support business, including transportation, telecommunications, and utilities, as well as excellent hospitals, schools, and post-secondary institutions.
ALBERTA 'S NATURAL ADVANTAGES
- An abundance of energy reserves that fuel a thriving oil and gas industry and keep energy costs low for Alberta businesses
- Excellent farm land, which supports world-class agricultural production
- An abundance of forest reserves to responsibly meet the needs of a growing forest products industry
- Clean air and water, unmatched scenery, and culturally diverse communities with a quality of life second to none
Agriculture
With more than 51 million acres presently used for crop and livestock production, Alberta has one of the world's most productive agricultural economies.
In 2002, total farm cash receipts reached $8.3 billion, which represented 23% of the value of 's total agricultural production.
ABUNDANCE OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Energy
Long known as 's energy province, Alberta produces 55% of 's conventional crude oil, 80% of its natural gas, more than 90% of its liquefied petroleum gases, 45% of its coal, and accounts for all its bitumen and synthetic crude oil.
Forestry
Alberta covers over 66 million hectares of land; 58% or 38 million hectares are forested.
Alberta's commercial productive timberland base of 22.5 million hectares covers 35% of Alberta’s total area and include 2.2 cubic meters of growing stock.
Annually, Alberta allows 23.2 million cubic meters to be harvested, of which 13.3 million cubic meters is for conifers and 9.9 million cubic meters is for deciduous.
You will find many useful links though our Link Pages, if you want to learn more about Calgary and /or Alberta.
