Download Alberta Labour Market Information

Kootenay News
LOCAL LABOUR MARKET SNAPSHOT – PREPARED BY Kootenay Career Development Society
ISSUE #279
LMI Report Jan 3 – Jan 6, 2016
Labour Market Information encompasses material about occupations, wage rates, unemployment rates, employment outlooks and
trends, education and training, and economic trends and conditions, as well as developments impacting these elements. For this
compilation, articles are sourced from a wide variety of online publications. To capture the essence of the articles, edited excerpts are
provided below (along with web links to the full articles - to be accessed at the option of the reader). A selection of specific reference
links is included in the last section. Regular perusal of this report is likely to foster a good sense of local and broader labour market
conditions and, also, any one article may at times prove to be a ‘gem’, something of particular relevance or value to a given reader. Find
this report and past issues online at: http://www.kcds.ca/index.php/labour-market-updates/category/1-labour-market-updates .
LOCAL
Nelson Area Job Postings by Employment Category
60
# of Postings
50
Hospitality, Customer Service
(Retail/Food Services)
40
30
Trades, Transportation, Equipment,
Labour, Natural Resources
20
Health, Social Sciences, Education,
Arts, Recreation
10
Business, Finance, Management,
Office Administration
0
Science, Technology, Manufacturing
5 wks ago 4 wks ago 3 wks ago 2 wks ago 1 wk ago
THIS
WEEK
Weekly History
To provide a snapshot of the local labour market we include this graphical look at employment postings, in five categories, from our job board for the Nelson area.
Each week a new set of data is compiled and added and the past week’s data moved back, providing a five week visual perspective on job availability. [Note: This
tool is an indicator but not an exact measure of all job postings and/or opportunities for the area. Readers are free to draw their own conclusions from the
information provided and are also encouraged to develop networking contacts as part of their job search, instead of relying on job postings alone. KCDS assumes
no liability for the accuracy of the information, or its interpretation, as presented in this LMI Report.]
Career BUZZ: Top Jobs in the Kootenays - January 6 issue
Kootenay Business January 6, 2017
http://kootenaybiz.com/kootenay-careers/article/career_buzz_top_jobs_in_the_kootenays_january_6_issue
Kootenay Business has selected 10 career opportunities from leading companies throughout the region to feature as our
Top Jobs of the week … [see article]
KOOTENAY NEWS - Local Labour Market Snapshot
ISSUE #279
BRITISH COLUMBIA
1,100 teachers to be hired in interim staffing deal
Castlegar News Janaury 5, 2017
http://www.castlegarnews.com/news/409814785.html
The province and B.C. Teachers Federation have negotiated an interim settlement to their long-running dispute over
staffing levels, a $50 million fund to hire up to 1,100 teachers for the current school year.

Education Minister Mike Bernier announced the agreement Thursday, stressing that there will be additional ongoing
funding in the B.C. Liberal government's February budget to finance a full agreement …
Lumber trade 'injury' claim upheld by U.S.
Castlegar News Janaury 6, 2017
http://www.castlegarnews.com/business/409922515.html
The B.C. government will continue efforts to negotiate a new softwood lumber trade agreement, after the U.S.
International Trade Commission upheld the U.S. industry's claim of "injury" due to alleged unfair trade practices by
Canadian producers.

The latest complaint, the fifth by the U.S. lumber industry, accuses B.C. and other provinces of "dumping" lumber below
market value, and subsidies based on the price of logs on Crown land …
New, lower maximum charges for payday loans now in effect
TMTVNews.com January 4, 2017
http://bctvkootenays.com/2017/01/04/new-lower-maximum-charges-for-payday-loans-now-in-effect/
New, lower charges for high-cost, short-term cash loans – payday loans – came into effect Jan. 1, 2017.


The maximum allowable charge – including all fees – for a payday loan in British Columbia is $17 for every $100
borrowed, making it the second-lowest rate in Canada.
Lowering the total allowable charge to $17 from $23 builds on regulations the Province implemented in 2009. Before
then, borrowers paid whatever the lender charged – as much as $30 per $100 borrowed, and had limited protections
and recourse against harmful lending practices …
ALBERTA
Alberta's economy sheds 19,000 jobs for second straight year
Calgary Herald January 6, 2017
http://calgaryherald.com/business/local-business/national-unemployment-rate-rises-slightly-indecember-but-holds-steady-in-alberta
Alberta’s economy shed nearly 19,000 jobs last year, nearly in line with losses it posted in 2015, though the number
doesn’t fully describe the pain that has largely been concentrated in sectors hit by low energy prices.


Employment in the province’s natural resources and manufacturing industries fell by a combined 39,000 positions in
2016, which saw oil prices plummet below $27 per barrel in February before trading above $50.
Losses in these goods-producing industries were somewhat offset by the service sector, which employs three in four
Albertans and added 34,000 jobs last year, economist Trevor Tombe noted.
o Still, the quality of jobs on offer in Alberta took a hit in 2016 …
CANADA
Canada adds 54,000 jobs in December
More than 200,000 jobs created in 2016 as a whole, official figures show
CBC News January 6, 2017
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/jobs-canada-december-1.3923956
Canada added more than 50,000 jobs in December, bringing the total for 2016 to 214,000.
KOOTENAY NEWS - Local Labour Market Snapshot
ISSUE #279
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
The total for last month was 54,000, according to Statistics Canada. The economy actually added 81,000 full-time jobs
during the month, but that was slightly offset by a loss of 27,000 part-time positions.
The results were a positive surprise to economists, who had been expecting a slight loss of jobs during the month …
Canada posts 1st monthly trade surplus since Sept. 2014
Trade surplus with U.S. hits highest level since June 2015
CBC News January 6, 2017
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/trade-surplus-november-1.3924172
Canada has posted its first monthly trade surplus since Sept. 2014, moving from a $1.0 billion deficit in October to an
unexpected $526 million surplus in November, Statistics Canada said Friday.


According to a Reuters survey, analysts had been expecting a November trade deficit of $1.6 billion.
Exports were up 4.3%, on the strength of increased shipments of metal and non-metallic mineral products, as well as
record exports to countries other than the United States …
Federal report predicts decades of deficits and crippling public debt
The report, which is more of an outlook document than an economic forecast, says the gradual retirement of
baby boomers will be a massive social and economic challenge
The Canadian Press January 6, 2017
http://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/financing/federal-report-predicts-decades-deficits-crippling-public-debt-181428/
Federal numbers released quietly by the Trudeau government late last month are painting a bleak picture of Canada’s
financial future—one filled with decades of deficits.


The report … predicts that, barring any policy changes, the federal government could be on track to run annual shortfalls
until at least 2050-51.
If such a scenario plays out, the document says the federal debt could climb past $1.55 trillion by that same year—more
than double its current level …
UNITED STATES
U.S. adds 156,000 jobs as unemployment rate moves up to 4.7%
Jobless rate rose as more people hunted for work
The Associated Press January 6, 2017
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/us-economy-jobs-1.3924414
U.S. employers added 156,000 jobs in December, capping a year of slower but solid hiring and providing the last major
snapshot of the economy president-elect Donald Trump will inherit from President Barack Obama.


Friday's report from the Labor Department portrayed a job market that remains durable 7½ years after the recovery
from the Great Recession began.
Though the unemployment rate rose to 4.7% from a nine-year low of 4.6%, it did so for an encouraging reason: More
people began looking for work. Because not all of them found jobs immediately, more people were counted as
unemployed in December …
Hiring Is Tepid, but Jobs Report Shows Sustained Wage Growth
The Associated Press January 6, 2017
http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/06/business/economy/unemployment-jobs-report-hiring.html?ref=business&_r=0
It has been a long time coming — eight years, in fact — but the economic recovery is finally showing up in the average
American worker’s paycheck in a big way.


There have been plenty of winners in the recovery, which began in mid-2009: companies, homeowners, investors and,
especially, households at the apex of the economic pyramid. But the paucity of gains in take-home pay has stoked
anxiety and frustration for many others, a factor in the wave of discontent that President-elect Donald J. Trump rode to
victory in November.
But … the Labor Department reported on Friday that average hourly earnings rose by 2.9% last year, the best annual
performance since the recovery began …
KOOTENAY NEWS - Local Labour Market Snapshot
ISSUE #279
The Manufacturing Jobs Delusion
The Economist January 4, 2017
http://www.economist.com/blogs/buttonwood/2017/01/economics-and-finance?zid=293&ah=e50f636873b42369614615ba3c16df4a
Industrial policy via Twitter is a new development in economics but we may all have to get used to it over the next four (or
eight) years. Donald Trump's tweets on the car industry (and his planned cuts to corporate income tax) may or may not
have persuaded Ford to keep a plant in Michigan, creating 700 jobs.


But the problem with such headline-grabbing is that there are thousands of companies in America, and jobs are being
created or destroyed every day; intervening in all these situations is impossible. Even in cars, for example, GM
has recently announced 3,300 lay-offs, almost five times greater than the Ford additions.
History suggests that the aim of creating large numbers of manufacturing jobs will be a lost cause. In 1979, the high
point for American manufacturing jobs was reached at 19.5million …
GLOBAL
World Bank predicts 2.7% global economic growth in 2017
BBC News January 10, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-38575324
There will be only a moderate pick up in global economic growth during 2017, the World Bank has predicted.


Its Global Economic Prospects report is forecasting 2.7% growth compared with the 2.3% seen last year.
That slight strengthening will be driven mainly by improvements in emerging markets and developing economies, the
Bank says …
BUSINESS & MARKET
Weekly Market Update (Jan 3 – Jan 6, 2016)
EdwardJones January 6, 2016
https://www.edwardjones.ca/market-news-guidance/recent-news/weekly-recap.html
Both U.S. and Canadian stocks were higher on the week, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average came
tantalizingly close to exceeding the 20,000 milestone. And while the Dow fell just short of reaching 20,000, the S&P 500
closed at an all-time high on Friday.


Helping stocks march higher were both the Canadian and U.S. December jobs reports, which showed that the domestic
economy added 53,700 jobs and the U.S. economy added 156,000 jobs last month. In addition, average hourly earnings
in the United States grew 2.9% over the past year, the fastest annual increase since 2009.
While the U.S. Federal Reserve will watch for other signs of improvement as well, the jobs report supports the
committee's view that the U.S. economy can handle two to three short-term interest rate increases in 2017 as
inflationary pressures rise headed into the new year. More importantly, as wages accelerate, consumption could rise,
fueling economic growth …
Higher wages push stocks to records, but Dow misses 20,000
The Associated Press 01/06/2017
http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/stocks+december+hiring+report+fails+inspire/12652386/story.html
The Dow Jones industrial average missed the 20,000 mark by a fraction of a point Friday as U.S. stock indexes rose after the
government said wages jumped in December. Two other major indexes set records.
 Stocks wavered between gains and losses in the morning after the December jobs report, which showed less hiring than
analysts hoped to see. Bond yields rose sharply, as the continued job gains should encourage the Federal Reserve to
keep raising interest rates …
Auto sales hit record as baby boomers treat themselves to 'nice vehicles'
Castlegar News January 4, 2017
http://www.castlegarnews.com/national/409704475.html
Canadians bought vehicles in record numbers last year, driven by consumers who bought SUVs, pickup trucks and high-end
models such as Jaguars and Porsches, DesRosiers Automotive Consultants said Wednesday.
KOOTENAY NEWS - Local Labour Market Snapshot
ISSUE #279
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
Overall, there were 1.948 million sales of light vehicles last year, an increase of 2.7% compared to 2015, the Richmond
Hill, Ont.-based consulting firm said.
Ford took the top spot last year, with sales up 9.3% to 304,445 vehicles …
US Stocks Mostly Slip as Banks Fall and Retailers Plunge
The Associated Press January 5, 2017
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/01/05/world/asia/ap-financial-markets.html?ref=business&_r=0
Stocks slipped Thursday as interest rates dropped and banks took sharp losses. Department stores tumbled as Macy's and
Kohl's plunged following weak holiday-season reports that led the chains to cut their profit forecasts.


After a solid but uninspiring report on private hiring in December, bond prices jumped and yields fell, which sent banks
down. The dollar declined.
Other industries that have climbed since the election, including industrial and basic materials companies, also slipped.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down as much as 131 points at midday, but the losses later eased as shares of
companies that pay big dividends traded higher …
ARTICLES
Under 35? You face at least 3 tough challenges in the 2017 economy
Precarious work, high home prices and questions of whether retirement will ever be a reality
CBC News January 4, 2017
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/under-35-you-face-at-least-3-tough-challenges-in-the-2017-economy-1.3921393
Good economic news can be hard to come by for Canadians in their 20s and 30s. Headlines warn of rising home prices and
first-time buyers priced out of the market. Then there's the rise of precarious and part-time employment — so-called "job
churn" that has people moving from one unstable job to the next.


And for young people looking toward the future, there's the possibility they may never be able to earn a secure
retirement.
We spoke to Canadians born in the '80s and '90s from coast to coast recently about their economic concerns. And those
three themes emerged again and again …
In Sweden, Happiness in a Shorter Workday Can’t Overcome the Cost
NY Times January 6, 2017
http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/06/business/sweden-work-employment-productivity-happiness.html?ref=business
A controversial experiment with a six-hour workday in one of Sweden’s largest cities wrapped up this week with a cheerful
conclusion: Shorter working hours make for happier, healthier and more productive employees.


There’s just one catch. The practice is too expensive and unwieldy to become widespread in Sweden anytime soon.
The two-year trial … centered on a municipal retirement home where workers were switched to a six-hour day, from
eight hours, with no pay cut. Seventeen new nursing positions were created to make up for the loss of time, at a cost of
around 700,000 euros, or $738,000, a year …
Anxiety is building as Canada and U.S. energy policies head in opposite directions
Financial Post January 4, 2017
http://business.financialpost.com/news/energy/anxiety-is-building-as-canada-and-u-s-energy-policies-head-in-opposite-directions?__lsa=3f3c-0359
Canada and the United States have highly integrated oil and gas markets, but their governments will pursue opposite
energy policies starting this year.

Canada is taxing and restricting oil and gas activity and infrastructure to meet international climate change commitments
… the U.S. under Donald Trump will be liberalizing it and pushing its energy renaissance to the next level …
KOOTENAY NEWS - Local Labour Market Snapshot
ISSUE #279
REGULAR LABOUR MARKET RESOURCE INFORMATION LINKS
Labour and Employment Data
http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/page/2828/
Find statistics and analysis on the labour force, employment issues (such as hours worked, number of employees and
payrolls) and income. Learn more about the various surveys conducted by Statistics Canada and access the data …
B.C. 2025 Labour Market Outlook
https://www.workbc.ca/Labour-Market-Information/B-C-s-Economy/Reports.aspx
Labour market information can help job seekers make comparisons when looking for a job or moving to a new place. It can also help
business owners identify new markets for their service or product, or to decide where to expand if theirs is a business that requires a
high number of workers or workers with a particular skill set. [Replaces 2022 Outlook.]
B.C.’S TOP HEALTH CAREERS
https://www.workbc.ca/Labour-Market-Information/Jobs-in-Demand/Top-Health-Careers.aspx
B.C.’s health sector employed 227,000 workers in 2015, one of the largest sectors in terms of the number of workers. The sector is also
one of the fastest-growing industries, with employment growing at an average rate of 3.2% each year in the past decade …
Explore Careers
https://www.workbc.ca/Jobs-Careers/Explore-Careers.aspx
Discover the career of your dreams. Explore 500 career profiles and get all the details you need, from job duties and wages to projected
demand in your region.
Industry Profiles
https://www.workbc.ca/Labour-Market-Information/Industry-Profiles.aspx
Learn everything you need to know about B.C. Industries, including employment, wages, outlook and more. Access profiles and see
employment gains and losses by industry for 2013 at a glance.
Regional Profiles
https://www.workbc.ca/Labour-Market-Information/Regional-Profiles.aspx
B.C.'s development regions are diverse and have unique labour market conditions. Here you'll find labour market details on each of the
seven regions, as well as employment outlooks over the next 10 years.
Blueprint Builder
https://www.workbc.ca/blueprintbuilder
Blueprint Builder is your online career planning tool that contains essential career, education and job search resources to help you plan
your career path. Discover career options, find the right education and funding, and target jobs in your selected field.
Career Compass
https://www.workbc.ca/careercompass
Try a selection of Career Quizzes (Abilities, Work Preferences, Subjects) to help you gain insight into an appropriate career direction
Career Trek
http://www.careertrekbc.ca
95 video based career profiles, averaging five minutes in duration, to provide insights into choices you make.
Cost of Living Calculator
http://www.costofliving.welcomebc.ca
Are you new to B.C. or thinking of moving here? Need help deciding where to live and work? The Cost of Living Calculator can help you
make the right move!
Job Vacancy and Wage Survey (JVWS)
http://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p2SV.pl?Function=getSurvey&SDDS=5217
The purpose of this survey is to collect detailed information about unmet labour demand. The survey collects information from
Canadian employers about the number of job vacancies and wage estimates by occupation, for all economic regions and industries.
Information is compiled quarterly. The link above is for the most recent quarterly data release.
KOOTENAY NEWS - Local Labour Market Snapshot
ISSUE #279
Nelson, BC – Community Profile Fall 2015
http://www.cbrdi.ca/wp-content/uploads/Nelson_2015_Profile.pdf
Contains a host of area related data including information on Labour Force Activity 2014, Labour Force by Occupation 2011, Labour
Force by Industry 2014, Employment by Industry 2014, Median Hourly Wage by Industry 2014, Median Commute Duration 2011,
Place of Work Status 2011.
Castlegar, BC – Community Profile Fall 2015
http://www.cbrdi.ca/wp-content/uploads/Castlegar_2015_Profile.pdf
Contains a host of area related data including information on Labour Force Activity 2014, Labour Force by Occupation 2011, Labour
Force by Industry 2014, Employment by Industry 2014, Median Hourly Wage by Industry 2014, Median Commute Duration 2011,
Place of Work Status 2011.
Trail, BC – Community Profile Fall 2015
http://www.cbrdi.ca/wp-content/uploads/Trail_2015_Profile.pdf
Contains a host of area related data including information on Labour Force Activity 2014, Labour Force by Occupation 2011, Labour
Force by Industry 2014, Employment by Industry 2014, Median Hourly Wage by Industry 2014, Median Commute Duration 2011,
Place of Work Status 2011.
2016 Best Workplaces in Canada
While there is no single right way to create a great workplace, the very best companies have managed to create a culture where
employees TRUST the people they work for, have PRIDE in what they do, and ENJOY the people they work with. And the winners are:
Best Workplaces in Canada - Large and Multinational / Best Workplaces in Canada - Medium / Best Workplaces in Canada - Small
Best Workplaces in Canada for Women & Download our The Globe & Mail report
BC’s Top Occupations
Our top occupations are largely based on the projected job openings to 2024. These openings include new jobs created through
economic growth as well as replacement jobs due to retired workers.
https://www.workbc.ca/Labour-Market-Information/Jobs-in-Demand/Top-Occupations.aspx
Labour Organizations and Unions – contact info and websites
Our alphabetical listings of unions comprise their name and a link to the contact section of their website. This way you are assured that
our listings are as up-to-date as the unions themselves keep them. If there is no website, their telephone number is shown.
http://www.shopunion.ca/unions
FACTSHEET: LNG project proposals in British Columbia
These are the export projects in various stages of development as of Aug. 11, 2016:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/factsheets/factsheet-lng-project-proposals-in-british-columbia
Engineering Labour Market in Canada: Projections to 2025
https://www.engineerscanada.ca/labour-market-report
Companies in British Columbia & Alberta
Need to research specific companies? Manta has 206,218 companies under Companies in British Columbia and 160,819 companies
under Companies in Alberta – see the links below for listings by category: basic company profiles are provided
http://www.manta.com/world/North+America/Canada/British+Columbia/ & http://www.manta.com/world/North+America/Canada/Alberta/
BC Jobs Plan
http://engage.gov.bc.ca/bcjobsplan/
BC Major Projects Inventory
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/economic-development/industry/bc-major-projects-inventory
The BC Major Projects Inventory (MPI) contains summary information on major projects in the Province of British Columbia, Canada,
that are over $15 million (Cdn) capital cost, or $20 million in the Lower Mainland–Vancouver area.
Major Projects Inventories Across Canada
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/BusinessIndustry/MajorProjectsInventory/MPIsAcrossCanada.aspx
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Community Futures Central Kootenay Workshop Schedule
http://futures.bc.ca/workshop-schedule/
Top 100 Projects for 2016 – Canada’s Biggest Infrastructure Projects
http://top100projects.ca/2016filters/
Top Kootenay Employers – by Kootenay Business
http://kootenaybiz.com/top-employers
Alberta Labour Market Information
http://work.alberta.ca/labour/labour-market-information.html
Fort McMurray Labour Market Information
http://www.woodbuffalo.net/
Job Market Trends and News, for Canada and Individual Provinces (Job Bank compilation)
http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/LMI_bulletin.do?cid=3373&AREA=0011&INDUSTRYCD=&EVENTCD
LMI – Publications, for Canada and Individual Provinces (Employment and Social Development Canada compilation)
http://www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/lmi/publications/index.shtml
PayScale - Salary Data & Career Research Center (Canada)
http://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Country=Canada/Salary
Wage Search Tool – Job Bank
http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/wage-outlook_search-eng.do?reportOption=wage
Wages and Benefits Information – BC Fact Sheets
https://www.workbc.ca/Job-Seekers/Build-Your-Career/Working-in-B-C/Your-Rights-and-Responsibilities-as-a-Worker/Wages-and-Benefits.aspx
Average Salary in Canada – Average Canadian Salary
http://www.livingin-canada.com/work-salaries-wages-canada.html
WorkBC Labour Market Information
https://www.workbc.ca/Statistics/Labour-Market.aspx
Labour Force Highlights, December 2015
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/publications/infoline/16-01-08/Issue_16-03.aspx
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