Tackling the Labour Shortage an Urgent Task for the Federal Government

August 16, 2006

As I continue to travel around the riding this summer meeting with constituents, businesses, town councils and chambers of commerce, a topic that dominates many discussions is the increasingly severe labour shortage.

Last week, I wrote about the skilled trades shortage and the Conservative government’s extensive initiatives to replenish Canada’s supply of skilled workers, including a series of tax credit programs and apprenticeship grants. However, in our area of the country, the labour shortage extends throughout multiple industries, the most evident of which is the service sector.

The impact of the labour shortage on northern BC and Alberta cannot be overstated. The Taco Bell in Fort St. John was forced to shut down last week due to a lack of employees. I met with the owner of Fort St. John’s A&W Restaurant and his business is facing a similar fate unless he can find workers soon.

The Pantry Restaurant in Fort Nelson has shut down, in part due to staff shortages. Moberly Motors in Moberly Lake has also recently lost two employees who were offered lucrative salaries and other bonuses for oil patch jobs in Fort McMurray.

And therein lies a significant part of the problem. Other industries simply can’t compete with the oil patch. The oil and gas companies are experiencing their own labour shortages but are able to mitigate some of the shortage by offering generous wages, bonuses and other incentives.

In their efforts to attract workers, area restaurants and other service-oriented businesses are doing their best to offer generous hourly rates and benefits, even when it takes a serious chunk out of their bottom line. These businesses are ready to pay and they certainly do not have unreasonable expectations about candidates work history and education. Still, it’s not enough.

Profit margins in the agricultural sector mean that farmers are even less equipped to compete with the oil patch. From pork producers in Dawson Creek to bee keepers in Farmington, I know of many local producers that can’t find the help they need to keep their operations going.

Aggressive and innovative employee searches haven’t worked, which is why many business operators are looking outside Canada. Yet the process to hire foreign workers can be lengthy and onerous.

I’ve had several conversations with my colleagues in the federal cabinet who are in a position to implement reforms to streamline the foreign worker process. Last month, Citizenship and Immigration Minister Monte Solberg, announced the creation of “temporary foreign worker units” in Vancouver and Calgary to facilitate the entry of temporary foreign workers into BC and Alberta specifically. Under this pilot project, specified federal officials work directly with employers to expedite the application process for foreign workers.

I recognize that one pilot project is not enough, but in the six months that our government has been in office, we’ve been working urgently on measures such as this to address the labour shortage. For those of us here in northern BC, it can’t happen fast enough. Yet it is a priority to which I will continue to dedicate my time, attention and resources.