Alberta Created More Than 100,000 Jobs in 2006

Filed in archive Economic Outlook on January 9, 2007

Continuing good news in Alberta, job creation is at it's highest since 1980. The bad news is that strong job growth anywhere will always attract those workers looking for a better pay cheque.

In Alberta, where the oil boom is creating labor shortages, shed 3,600 jobs in December, lowering the total gain for 2006 to 108,500, which was the province's highest increase since 1980.

Edmonton's jobless rate fell to 3.7 per cent in December, down from 3.8 per cent in November. In Calgary, the unemployment rate slid to 2.6 per cent in December from 2.8 per cent in November.

In my Challenging Business Environment Ahead post I point out that there will be a shortage of young workers in a few years. You can get the PDF or drop by to read my recommendations for coping with the looming shortage.