Red Deer tops nation in employment

It’s no surprise to any employer who’s had to import workers from as far as Africa to fill job vacancies.

But Red Deer had the top employment rate in the country in 2006 and also led all of Canada in employment growth, according to the latest Statistics Canada census results.

Red Deer’s employment rate was 73.5 per cent when the latest census was taken two years ago. This is higher than Alberta’s employment rate of 70.9 per cent and Canada’s rate of 62.4 per cent.

The employment rate includes everyone that is working over the age of 14.

Tracey Leesti, StatsCan’s assistant director of labour division statistics, said Calgary had Canada’s highest employment rate for larger metropolitan areas, yet, “when you put the two numbers together, Red Deer is even above Calgary.”

According to Leesti, Red Deer also “led the way” in the average annual employment growth rate. The average amount that employment grew every year between 2001, when the previous census was taken, and 2006 was 5.1 per cent locally.

“That’s huge,” she added.

In 2006, Red Deer’s unemployment rate was the third lowest in Alberta, at 4.4 per cent. Only Lethbridge and Medicine Hat had lower rates.

More young people were also working locally. Red Deer’s percentage of 15- to 24-year-olds in the labour force was 22.3, compared to Alberta’s 17.7.

The oil and gas sector gained the most workers, followed by construction, health care and social assistance, manufacturing, and retail and trade.

The fastest growing industries were utilities, oil and gas, finance, real estate, and administrative support for waste management.

Cyril Cooper, land and economic development officer for the City of Red Deer, doubts the situation today is quite as booming as in 2006 — and he said that’s probably a good thing.

While having such a high workforce participation demonstrates a strong local economy, Cooper said it’s been very hard on employers to find enough workers to fill job vacancies.

As a member of the Red Deer Regional Economic Development partnership between the city, Red Deer County, chamber and Red Deer College, Cooper knows there was much strategizing on recruitment methods and incentives to entice and retain more workers in Central Alberta.

And this area still doesn’t have enough workers, said Cooper — as is evidenced by help wanted signs in most retail outlets and restaurants.

He noted Fort McMurray oilsands projects are the latest syphon of local labour.

Cooper said finding housing for new workers was also a difficulty in 2006, but this also seems to be easing.

He believes three factors have started to cool the over-heated economy — the higher Canadian dollar, the lack of local skilled workers, and the declining cost of natural gas.

According to StatsCan data, Red Deer has fewer university graduates than the Alberta or Canadian average, but more college graduates. Overall, 56 per cent of Red Deer residents have some post-secondary education, compared to a national average of 60 per cent and an Alberta average of 61 per cent.

The top post-secondary fields of study for local residents were business management and marketing, health services and education.

Contact Lana Michelin at lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com