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Is the Perfect Storm Brewing?
- Labour numbers are at record levels.
- Strong job growth
- Un-employment declines
- Baby-boomers are retiring
So what is next for us, with Alberta and Greater Edmonton again facing labour shortfalls?
Recently, a coalition of nineteen Alberta business associations and groups have started to encourage both the federal and provincial governments to work closer with industry regarding the looming labour shortages coming specifically to western Canada. The Alberta government is forecasting there will be over 114,000 more jobs than people to fill them in the coming years, a trend which has especially become more obvious over the last 2 years.
So what are the 2012 numbers showing so far?
Edmonton Region
Labour Force 709,000 up 8,000 over March 2011
Employed 669,000 up 8,000 over March 2011
Employment Rate 68.4% down slightly from 68.9%
Unemployment 40,400 decrease of 1000 over last year
Unemployment Rate 5.7% decrease of .1 over last year
Alberta
Net International Immigration 26,000
Net Inter-provincial 19,000
- overall net gain to Alberta of 45,000 in 2011
Wages and Salaries ($000,000) $126,113
- up 8.4% over last year or $9,737
Average Weekly Earnings $1,065
- up 4.7% from a year ago
Source: Province of Alberta
What do these numbers really tell us?
- Unemployment rate has continued downward for 2 years
- Employment numbers are at record highs
- Unemployment insurance beneficiaries have decreased over 50% in last 2.5 years
- Wages and salaries are at record levels
- Average Weekly Earnings are at best ever
Overall observations:
Labour is growing, but not quite as fast as the labour demand. With unemployment in the four to five percent range, we are reaching full employment. Baby boomers are leaving our employment ranks, employment costs are anticipated to rise with shortages, and labour shortages are expected to grow.
Therefore, employee retention and attraction will need further attention from us all.
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Though many of us now use GPS or Google maps, there is still a demand and need for a good and accurate hard copy street map. But our new 2012 street map is much more than a street map. It provides some very useful information including expanded amenity information for our city. The amenity side features detailed information on Servus Place, St. Albert Place, Woodlands Water Play Park, Parks and Schools, and other key listings. These features further make the map a keeper in the car or home.
It is now spring. What a great time to enhance your business and be able to access beautification dollars as well through the St. Albert beautification program. Last year we saw an abundance of flower barrels and hanging baskets throughout the community and a starting of evergreen planters for the colder months providing more colour and greenery to our winter. Many positive comments were received about such beautification efforts which mean more than positive comments but have also resulted in increased sales. 
St. Albert now has its' own "Postage Stamp." It looks fantastic and adds a special Botanical Arts touch to your outgoing mail! The St. Albert Stamp is real postage; you use it the same way you would use any other stamp.Stamps are valued at the current domestic rate. This means one St. Albert postage stamp gets any standard-size envelope (up to 30 grams) delivered anywhere in Canada.
