A recent survey from Statistics Canada suggests the unemployment rate in Alberta has reached the highest point since 1994.
The Labour Force Survey for the month of July, released Aug. 5, showed a 0.7 per cent unemployment rate increase for July, putting the provincial rate at 8.6 per cent.
Tarina Dueck, senior manager at Prospect, which oversees Rockyview Employment Services in Airdrie, said each year the utilization of its employment services grows.
In Airdrie, she said the demand has grown about 15 to 20 per cent from last year with an average of 800 people utilizing the service each month.
“It’s certainly a growing number of people who are continuing to look for employment,” Dueck said.
She said Rockyview Employment Services is finding a drop in available full-time employment and an increase in employers looking to hire part-time employees, something the Labour Force Survey also suggests.
The field of available jobs is also changing, Dueck said, with positions becoming available in the service industry such as food, retail, hospitality and accommodation.
Airdrie Wildrose MLA Angela Pitt said the shift from a field of full-time employment to part-time is concerning.
She said NDP policies such as increasing the minimum wage and business tax haven’t created an environment that appears to be stable for job creators in Alberta – resulting in businesses having to reduce the number of employees and offer part-time positions instead.
“Many businesses are taking whammies from all over the place,” Pitt said. “The fact of the matter is, we’re going to continue to bleed jobs in this province.”
Alberta Minister of Labour Christina Gray said in an email to Airdrie City View the passed Alberta Jobs Plan will address the issue, but is still in its early stages.
“Passed in late May, The Alberta Jobs Plan is a long-term strategy that cushions the impact of the downturn and supports the creation of 100,000 jobs over the next three years,” Gray said.
“This plan has been in action for two months now, and we will report progress on meeting that 100,000 target over the course of the plan.”
The minister said though the Labour Force Survey revealed a 0.7 per cent rise in unemployment in July, this was a direct result of 17,600 more people entering Alberta’s workforce seeking employment as opposed to direct job loss.
“We’re very concerned with this economic downturn because hardworking Albertans and their families are hurting,” she said. “We will continue to support these Albertans as they seek employment opportunities.”
Dueck said Albertans seeking employment, especially in a new field of work, should identify what transferable skills they have and learn how to position those in a way that are an asset for new jobs.
With this downturn lasting longer than previous ones, she said job hunters must prepare themselves to send out multiple resumes and be a bit more aggressive in their job search.
“It can be a discouraging time because it’s taking people longer to find employment,” Dueck said. “Try not to get discouraged though because it will come around again.”
