Document #: Economic Development Tourism.0530.14741.1

Council Meeting Date: May 20, 2008 Agenda Item #: 8.1 LABOUR STRATEGY UPDATE Report Purpose To provide Council with an update on Economic Development and Tourism’s Labour Strategy. Recommendation THAT Council receive the update on Economic Development and Tourism’s Labour Strategy as information. Background/Justification Strategic Plan: (mark beside the applicable sections) Governance Community Well Being x Community Sustainability x Economic Viability x Service Delivery x Stakeholder Communication x Resource Management Legislative/Legal: N/A Economic: The Labour strategy has been developed to address the sustainability of our local businesses in a time of serious labour shortages. It also addresses the concerns of new businesses looking at locating in Strathcona County. Social: The Labour strategy looks at an approach that is multifaceted and deals with issues such as housing shortages and cost of living. It also looks to ensure that we are retaining our current population and that youth are being fully utilized in the workforce and provided opportunities for growth. Environmental: The Labour strategy promotes “lean” (efficient) business and is working with Transit on strategies to provide workers transportation in a more sustainable manner. The strategy assesses current and future labour needs and looks at more ways than purely labour attraction (an increasing population) as solutions. Part of this solution is outsourcing of materials from other parts of the nation. Stakeholder: Province of Alberta Local residents Local Businesses National Suppliers Federal Government Future residents Interdepartmental: Transit, Corporate Planning and Intergovernmental Affairs, Planning and Development, Family and Community Services, Communications, Human Resources Communications Plan Communication with: local businesses, organizations Method of Communication: (mark beside the applicable sections) Letter Newspaper Advertisement X News Release Meeting X Other: Website, newsletter Enclosure I PowerPoint Presentation (EDT.14742) Author: Erica Thomas, Economic Development and Tourism Date: May 7, 2008 Manager(s): Gerry Gabinet, Economic Development and Tourism Associate Commissioner, Division: Denise Exton, Infrastructure and Planning Services Document #: EDT.14741

Economic Development and Tourism’s

Labour Strategy

Presented By: Erica Thomas

Council Meeting Date: May 20, 2008

Doc #: EDT.14742

Statistics for the Province• Alberta has the highest participation and productivity rates in

Canada• The number of employed Albertans in 2007 increased by

88,775• Alberta has the lowest unemployment rate in Canada• In 2007, 31 of 53 major occupational groups in the province

had an unemployment rate of less than 3%• Alberta may experience a labour shortage as high as 111,000

workers in the next 10 years.• Alberta received a net gain of 81,480 people in 2006 through

migration. Of these, 58,166 were inter-provincial migrants, the highest number in the past 25 years.

Statistics for the Region• Greater Edmonton led employment growth with 38,700

additional jobs in 2007. Calgary region added the next highest number of jobs at 31,200.

• Employment for the off-reserve Aboriginal population rose to 65,900 in 2007, an increase of 3,100 from 2006. The largest percentage, 35.5%, was employed in Greater Edmonton.

• New construction projects in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland could employ approximately 25,000 – 30,000 construction workers over the next 15 years.

• Post construction full time workforce in AIH will be approximately 2,500 – 3,000 skilled workers.

Our Strategy

Local

International

National

Regional

Local• Development of Labour section on Strathconacounty.com• Development of a database - HR managers of our local

companies• One on one meetings with local companies who have

expressed labour concerns– Including Chamber and Provincial attendees– Results include:

• Communication with Transit on transportation needs for companies on 17th

and 34th street• Involvement on affordable housing committee• Information sharing on provincial and national programs

Local • Work with Elk Island Public and Catholic schools

– Heartland Skills Centre– Marketing campaign to get students working during the summer and

part-time– Marketing campaign to get students to start looking at career

opportunities in Strathcona County• Working with Province on a fall labour attraction/ retention

information series (hiring foreign workers, retaining Millenials, Lean enterprise, etc.)

• Development of marketing piece for local companies and for our own labour attraction to Strathcona County

• Development of media series with Sherwood Park News

Regional• Development of a Greater Edmonton Economic Development

Team Labour Sub-committee– Development of Greater Edmonton – Centre of Attention marketing

program– Development of Regional Labour Attraction Strategy with local,

national and international concentrations– Greater Edmonton Community Labour Shortage Mapping

• Participation in Edmonton Workforce Connection• Work with AIESEC – International Student recruitment• Participation in “Get HR” hospitality labour

attraction/retention committee

National• Participation in the National Career Fair –

Toronto with Greater Edmonton Economic Development Team– Local company involvement

• Clark Builders• Bosco Homes• Alberta Works• Permasteel Projects• Champagne Edition • Northern Crane Services

National• Work with local companies making them aware of programs

for outsourcing and partnerships with Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

• Working with Greater Toronto Area municipalities in matching companies for outsourcing opportunities.

• Working at doing a Post or Pre National Career Fair blitz with participating companies in the Greater Toronto Area.

• Try Greater Edmonton For the Summer – Potential national program encouraging post secondary students to try working in Greater Edmonton for the summer.

International• Ensuring local companies are aware of international

recruitment activities• Work with the Province to ensure all companies are posting

jobs on the Provincial sites for publicity at International Career Fairs

• Researching foreign training acceptable in Alberta• Researching international job fairs for local companies to

attend

• AIESEC (International Association of Students in Economics and Commerce)

Partnership

SEE Labour

• Social– Ensuring that there are enough people to do the

work necessary to build our community– Ensuring that youth understand the opportunities

that exist in Strathcona County– Lack of labour = increased hours for those

working = increased stress = low quality of life

SEE Labour• Economic

– Ensuring the sustainability of current businesses and the ability to attract new businesses

– Increased labour shortages = increased wages for some = increased prices for all

– Labour shortages have led to outsourcing or worse, loss of contracts

• Environmental– Environmental standards often take a lower priority when

there are not enough people to do the work– Lack of time for creative environmental programs in the

workplace